Anti-corruption champion to examine Arts Council England projects and lack of facilities in some areas of country

Margaret Hodge will oversee a review into regional inequality in the arts after the culture secretary described some areas of Britain as “cultural deserts”.

Sky News first reported a week ago that Hodge, who was last week named as the government’s anti-corruption champion, would take control of the review into Arts Council England, which was originally announced by the Conservative government and was to be chaired by Mary Archer but was shelved shortly after Labour won the general election.