British Council could ‘disappear’ in a decade without financial help, boss warns

The British Council could “disappear” within the next decade without urgent government intervention, the organisation’s chief executive has said.

Scott McDonald, the boss of the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations, warned the council’s presence in up to 40 countries was in jeopardy without financial guarantees from the Government.

“I think we would be in real danger of disappearing, probably over a period of a decade,” he told The Guardian.

“And don’t think I’m saying this just for headlines, I think it’s really true.”

Without financial help, the organisation’s primary work in showcasing Britain’s soft power and cultural influence, which has positive effects on diplomacy, tourism and international student recruitment, would be in jeopardy.

Mr McDonald told The Guardian the British Council has a presence in 100 countries around the world but is being forced to consider closing down operations in 30 to 40.

“That leaves a vacuum in those 30 or 40 countries”, he said.

“There’s no British Council there, promoting the UK and our culture, our education.”

The organisation’s current financial strife stems from a £200 million Covid-era loan from the Government, which comes with commercial interest rates on a rolling one-year term.

“Each year we’re going to be insolvent unless the loan is renewed,” Mr McDonald said.

“We really need help on that loan. The Government’s got to turn it into something viable for us and at reasonable terms.

“And they have got to start funding us so that we can do more around the world.”

In a statement to The Guardian, the Foreign Office said: “Due to its commercial activities, the British Council is legally subject to subsidy controls, ensuring fair and free competition in the market, and we remain committed to recovering the loan once their finances allow. ”