Blog entry by Ilse Badger
Parliament is not usually the stage for design debates. Budgets, healthcare, international relations. One late night in Westminster, the glow of signage took centre stage. Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South and Walkden, delivered a striking intervention. Her message was uncompromising: hand-bent glass filled with noble gas is artistry. She criticised the flood of LED strips, saying they undermine public trust.
Only gas-filled tubes deserve the title. Chris McDonald added his support, positioning neon as regional creativity. Cross-party nodding followed. Numbers framed the urgency. The UK now counts fewer than thirty artisans. No new entrants are learning. Without action, a century-old craft may die. Ideas were floated for a protection act, similar to Harris Tweed. Defend the craft. Even the DUP weighed in, adding an economic perspective. Forecasts predict $3.3bn market by 2031.
His point: this is not nostalgia but business. Closing remarks came from Chris Bryant, Minister for best neon signs Creative Industries. He allowed himself puns, earning heckles. Yet beneath the levity, he admitted neon’s value. He cited neon’s cultural impact: Walthamstow Stadium’s listed sign. He emphasised longevity. Why the debate? The answer is authenticity. Craft is undermined. That threatens heritage. It is no different to whisky or Champagne.
If Scotch must come from Scotland, then neon should mean glass and gas. This was about culture. Do we allow heritage skills to disappear? Our position is clear: real neon matters. The Commons was illuminated. No law has passed yet. But the campaign is alive. If Parliament can value neon, so should you. Reject plastic strips. Support artisans.
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