The Commons is rarely a forum for craft. Tax and trade dominate the agenda. Yet in May 2025, MPs were talking about light. Labour’s Yasmin Qureshi, brought heritage into the chamber. Her message was uncompromising: real neon is both craft and culture. She warned against plastic imitations, saying they undermine public trust. Marketing should not blur the definition. Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North, sharing his own commissioning of neon art in Teesside.
Cross-party nodding followed. Numbers framed the urgency. Only 27 full-time neon benders remain in Britain. The pipeline of skills has closed. Without action, a century-old craft may die. Qureshi proposed legal recognition, like Cornish pasties. Protect the name. From Strangford, Jim Shannon rose, bringing a commercial lens. Forecasts predict $3.3bn market by 2031. His point: buy neon lights authentic craft has future potential.
Chris Bryant concluded the session. He allowed himself puns, lightening the mood. Yet beneath the levity, he admitted neon’s value. He cited neon’s cultural impact: Tracey Emin’s installations. He argued neon can outlast LEDs. What is at stake? The answer is authenticity. LED products are marketed as neon. That threatens heritage. A question of honest labelling. If Champagne must be French, then neon should mean glass and gas. The debate mattered beyond signage.
Do we accept homogenised plastic across every street? At Smithers, the stance is firm: authentic glow endures. So yes, Parliament discussed neon. The Act is still to come. But the case is stronger than ever. If MPs can recognise craft, so can homeowners. Look past cheap imitations. Choose neon.
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