When Neon Stormed Westminster Few debates in Parliament ever shine as bright as the one about neon signage. But on a unexpected session after 10pm, Britain’s lawmakers did just that. Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi stood up and lit the place up with a speech defending neon sign makers. Her pitch was sharp, clear, and glowing: glass and gas neon is an art form, and the market is being flooded with false neon pretenders. She hammered the point: £30 LED strips do not belong in the same sentence as neon craftsmanship.

Backing her up was Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North, sharing his own neon commission from artist Stuart Langley. The mood in the chamber was almost electric—pun intended. Numbers told the story. Only 27 full-time neon glass benders remain in the UK. The pipeline of skill is about to close forever. Qureshi called for a Neon Signs Protection Act. Even the DUP’s Jim Shannon joined in, citing growth reports, pointing out that neon is an expanding industry.

Translation: this isn’t nostalgia, it’s business. Closing the debate, Chris Bryant had his say. Even ministers can’t help glowing wordplay, earning laughter across the floor. But underneath the banter was a serious nod. Bryant pointed to neon’s cultural footprint: best neon lights from Piccadilly Circus and fish & chip shop fronts. He stressed neon lasts longer than LED when maintained. Where’s the fight? The glow is fading: fake LED "neon" signs are being flogged everywhere online.

That kills trust. If food has to be labelled honestly, why not signs?. If it’s not gas in glass, it’s not neon. What flickered in Westminster wasn’t bureaucracy but identity. Do we want every high street, every bedroom wall, every bar front to glow with the same plastic LED sameness? We’re biased, but we’re right: authentic glow beats plastic glow every time. So yes, Westminster talked neon. The outcome isn’t law yet, the case has been made. And if MPs can argue for real neon under the oak-panelled glare of the House, best real neon signs you can sure as hell hang one in your lounge, office, or bar.

Bin the plastic pretenders. If you want authentic neon, handmade the way it’s meant to be, you know where to find it. Parliament’s been lit—now it’s your turn.