Authors attack stroking book giveaway as gross cultural vandalism - daily mail

By Glen Owen
Last updated at 10: 06 am on 26. December 2010

Leading writers attacked the Government for scrapping a system which gives books to young children have.

Award-winning author Philip Pullman accused Education Secretary Michael Gove of wanton destruction for axing invite during the former poet laureate Sir Andrew motion it accused of gross cultural vandalism.

The charity which says it aims to inspire the love of reading in children, provides just after birth, before the school and the last start before secondary school three packs of free books to young people.

Think what you are? Author Philip Pullman (left) and former poet laureate Sir Andrew are motion for words to the Government plans to scrap invite lost

Without his annual ?13million grant from the Government, invite is forced to close.

Mr Pullman, author of award-winning fantasy trilogy his dark materials, sentenced that move.

He said "what is the Government think?".

"It's like seeing someone smashing aside one Butterfly with the back of your hand: wanton destruction." Sheer dumb vandalism, such as smashing champagne bottles as a drunken undergraduate - doesn't matter, someone else is there to disable.

' If you miss the first years of the development of a child, it may be nothing to disable. It's gone. It will not happen. "

Warning "out will lose an entire generation", added Mr Pullman: ' is a gift of books in the hands of newborn children and their parents to help open the door into the great Treasury of reading is the inheritance of each one of us.

' To say I am outraged that this proposal is to understate the case of several degrees scale. It's a shame for a profound shocking and unforgivable.'

Under fire: Secretary of State for education Michael Gove

Sir Andrew motion said: "The decision to invite scrap is an act of gross cultural vandalism." It is the envy of the world become 24 other countries now run a similar scheme.

' Savings its abolition will be negligible, the damage is enormous. In every respect, the decision to close is repulsive, stupid and pointless destructive, making for a humane and civilized society.'

Labour Chairman Ed Miliband it attacked as 'petty, high-handed and bad decision'.

Last night was because Mr Gove admits that the grant was to invite reduced, but the Department said a spokesman in negotiations with Booktrust, charity, managed the invite.

"We feel that houses places should be a love books and read inspire", he said.

' But in these tough economic times, Minister tough decisions on expenditure have to take.

' It is wrong to say that not Booktrust will support the Department in the future. We discuss ensuring we form a new contract with the Organization targeted resources to the poorest families. "

View the original article here