A fight at the opera

MAYOR'S COMMENTS CAUSE SONG AND DANCE AS PRESTIGIOUS COMPANY ATTACKS CLAIMS THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE TO CITY

- ROB PARSONS

ENGLISH National Opera bosses have hit back at claims they don't want to relocate to Manchester.

And they have taken issue with Mayor Andy Burnham's suggestion that they regard the people of the city as "heathens" who would not want to attend their performances.

The Greater Manchester mayor yesterday waded into the row over the future of the prestigious opera company, which has been told it will only continue to get Arts Council England funding if it relocates outside the capital, possibly to Manchester.

ENO is now campaigning for the decision to be reversed and says the move, part of a wider effort to spend more public arts subsidy outside the capital, as "not doable"

But speaking at the Great Northern Conference yesterday, Mr Burnham attacked the 'outdated' attitudes of organisations who didn't want to leave London and said: "If they don't want to come willingly we don't want them."

He compared ENO's opposition to the outcry in some quarters when parts of the BBC were moved to MediaCity in Salford and the more positive reaction to government listening post GCHQ setting up a base in Manchester.