Earlier on Thursday afternoon, Jack Gamble, the CEO of the Campaign for the Arts, emphasised the importance of political art. “In the last few weeks we’ve had Mr Bates vs the Post Office as a reminder of the fact that art can be not only inherently powerful, but powerful as something that leads to social change,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World at One.

Appearing on the same programme, the ACE deputy chief executive Laura Dyer emphasised the council’s belief “in the freedom of expression of all artists”.