Parliament is not usually the stage for design debates. Tax and trade dominate the agenda. One late night in Westminster, the glow of signage took centre stage. Ms Qureshi, delivered a striking intervention. Her message was clear: authentic neon is cultural heritage. She contrasted it with cheap LED substitutes, noting they erase tradition. Only gas-filled tubes deserve the title. Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North, sharing his own commissioning of neon art in Teesside.

Cross-party nodding followed. Statistics gave weight to the passion. From hundreds, the number has fallen to a few dozen. No new entrants are learning. Without action, a century-old craft may die. Qureshi proposed legal recognition, similar to Harris Tweed. Defend the craft. From Strangford, Jim Shannon rose, adding an economic perspective. Neon remains a growth sector. His point: this is not nostalgia but business.

Closing remarks came from Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries. He teased the chamber with jokes, drawing laughter. Yet after the laughter, he acknowledged the case. He listed Britain’s neon landmarks: the riot of God’s Own Junkyard. He argued neon can outlast LEDs. What is at stake? The answer is authenticity. Craft is undermined. That diminishes value. It is no different to whisky or Champagne.

If Champagne must be French, then craft deserves recognition. This was about identity. Do we trade individuality for convenience? At Smithers, the stance is firm: authentic glow endures. The Commons was illuminated. No law has passed yet. But the case is stronger than ever. If Westminster can defend glow, so can we all. Skip LED pretenders. Keep the glow alive.