The Times 05 December 200.
By Dalya Alberge. Arts Correspondent.

A disparaging remark by a Government culture minister about folk music has provoked an angry response from musicians.
Kim Howells, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, angered English folk music lovers by saying during a House of Commons debate on live music legislation that "the idea of listening to three Somerset folk singers sounds like hell".

Ian Smith, organiser of the Musician's Union's folk section, said "It shows how crassly ignorant someone of that level is. It's an insult. The folk and acoustic world has never been bigger".

Daily Express 05 December 2001
A lack of appreciation for the rural arts means Culture Minister Dr Kim Howells must spend the day in the pooch house. The Pontypridd MP caused outrage during a Commons debate when he announced: "for a simple urban boy like me the idea of listening to three Somerset folk singers sounds like hell".

Now, accordionist of the Wurzels Tommy Banner, famed for the seventies hit Combine harvester, has hit back. "we play all over the place", he rages. "our music is for people fed up with listening to people like Kim Howells talking a lot of dung in the Commons." Perhaps a tape of Combine harvester would help Dr Howells pass the time in the kennel?