Ilse Badger

Parliament is not usually the stage for design debates. Tax and trade dominate the agenda. One late night in Westminster, neon lights MPs were talking about light. Ms Qureshi, brought heritage into the chamber. Her message was uncompromising: real neon is both craft and culture. She criticised the flood of LED strips, noting they erase tradition. Only gas-filled tubes deserve the title. Chris McDonald, best neon lights MP for Stockton North, speaking of local artists.

Cross-party nodding followed. Statistics gave weight to the passion. Only 27 full-time neon benders remain in Britain. No new entrants are learning. Without action, Britain could lose neon entirely. The Commons considered safeguarding, modelled on Champagne. Preserve authenticity. Even the DUP weighed in, adding an economic perspective. Forecasts predict $3.3bn market by 2031. His point: heritage and commerce can co-exist. Closing remarks came from Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries.

He played with glow metaphors, drawing laughter. Yet beneath the levity, he admitted neon’s value. He cited neon’s cultural impact: the riot of God’s Own Junkyard. He emphasised longevity. What is at stake? The issue is clarity. Craft is undermined. That erodes trust. It is no different to whisky or Champagne. If Champagne must be French, then signage should tell the truth. This was about culture. Do we allow heritage skills to disappear? We hold no doubt: glass and gas still matter.

The Commons was illuminated. The Act is still to come. But the campaign is alive. If Parliament can value neon, so should you. Skip LED pretenders. Support artisans.

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