UK gov backs British Inspiration Awards

Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative top-dog David Cameron and Liberal Democrat boss-cat Nick Clegg have all thrown support behind the new British Inspiration Awards initiative, which aims to promote and celebrate the videogames, among other things.

"Britain is a country full of talent," declared Gordon Brown. "You see it every time you turn on the TV, when you watch a sports event, a film, or flick through the pages of a fashion magazine. You can hear it in our music. And you can feel it in the energy and dynamism of our communities.

"I am enormously proud of the talented people in this country who, through their creative and entrepreneurial gifts, illuminate their lives and enrich ours. And the British Inspiration Awards is a great way of both recognising their endeavours and celebrating our achievements as a nation."

The inaugural British Inspiration Awards will take place on 23rd April in London. Categories are "Film", "Television", "Music", "Fashion", "Arts", "Design", "Innovation, Enterprise and Industry", "Science and Technology", "Interactive Entertainment" and "Special Recognition".

Leaders from each sector will be awarded a Boudica ("a forward-thinking woman") for their achievements. The government hopes videogame publishers and their ilk will pump "support" into the initiative, with proceeds going to charities GamesAid and The Dallaglio Foundation.

Interestingly, Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton is leading the event's executive committee.

"The UK is the creative capital of the World. Whether it’s Damien Hirst or Simon Cowell; Damon Albarn or Ridley Scott, Dame Vivienne Westwood or Jonathan Ive; Sam Houser or Amy Winehouse, this nation has an incredibly rich and colourful heritage of creativity," he said, offering Rockstar co-founder Houser an intriguing counterpart.

Others on the board are Richard Desmond (owner of The Express newspapers and North and Shell, which publishes OK!, among others), Wendy Malem (London College of Fashion), Russ Lindsay (James Grant Media Group), Simon Harvey (Barrington Harvey), Tom George (Media Edge), Gary MacManus (Reach), Colonel Ben Farrell MBE, Nicola Mendelsohn (Karmarama) and Philip Snape (PSA Communications and no relation to Professor Snape from Harry Potter).

It's a start.