Neon Signs In Westminster: The Fight To Save Britain’s Neon Craft
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.
the formidable Ms Qureshi took the floor to champion the endangered craft of glass-bent neon. Her pitch was sharp, clear, and glowing: authentic neon is heritage, and plastic custom LED neon lights London fakes are killing the craft.
She reminded the House: £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.
Facts gave weight to the emotion. The craft has dwindled from hundreds to barely two dozen. The pipeline of skill is about to close forever. She pushed for law to protect the word "neon" the way Harris Tweed is legally protected.
From the Strangford seat came a surprising ally, backed by numbers, saying the neon sign market could hit $3.3 billion by 2031. Translation: this isn’t nostalgia, it’s business.
The government’s man on the mic was Chris Bryant. He opened with a cheeky pun, getting heckled for it in good humour. Jokes aside, he was listening.
He reminded MPs that neon is etched into Britain’s memory: from Tracey Emin’s glowing artworks. He stressed neon lasts longer than LED when maintained.
Where’s the fight? The danger is real: retailers blur the lines by calling LED neon. That erases heritage.
It’s no different to protecting Cornish pasties or neon sign shop London Harris Tweed. If it’s not gas in glass, it’s not neon.
What flickered in Westminster wasn’t bureaucracy but identity. Do we let homogenisation kill character in the name of convenience?
We’ll say it plain: real neon matters.
The Commons had its glow-up. No Act has passed—yet, the campaign is alive.
If neon can reach Westminster, it can reach your living room.
Bin the plastic pretenders. Your space deserves the real deal, not mass-produced mediocrity.
Parliament’s been lit—now it’s your turn.