Parliament is not usually the stage for design debates. Budgets, best designs for neon lighting healthcare, international relations. Yet in May 2025, MPs were talking about light. Ms Qureshi, brought heritage into the chamber. Her message was direct: hand-bent glass filled with noble gas is artistry. She criticised the flood of LED strips, arguing they dilute the name neon. Only gas-filled tubes deserve the title. Chris McDonald added his support, sharing his own commissioning of neon art in Teesside.

Cross-party nodding followed. Numbers framed the urgency. From hundreds, the number has fallen to a few dozen. No apprentices follow. Without action, the tradition could vanish. The Commons considered safeguarding, like Cornish pasties. Preserve authenticity. Even the DUP weighed in, adding an economic perspective. Neon remains a growth sector. His point: authentic craft has future potential. Closing remarks came from Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries.

He allowed himself puns, earning heckles. Yet beneath the levity, he admitted neon’s value. He cited neon’s cultural impact: Tracey Emin’s installations. He suggested neon is unfairly judged on eco terms. Where lies the problem? The answer is authenticity. LED products are marketed as neon. That erodes trust. A question of honest labelling. If Harris Tweed must be Hebridean, then craft deserves recognition. This was about culture. Do we accept homogenised plastic across every street?

We hold no doubt: real neon matters. Westminster glowed for a night. The Act is still to come. But the campaign is alive. If Parliament can value neon, so should you. Skip LED pretenders. Keep the glow alive.