Parliament’s Neon Debate Shines

Few times in history have we heard the words neon sign echo inside the hallowed halls of Westminster. Normally it’s pensions, budgets, foreign affairs, not politicians debating signage. But on a unexpected Commons session, Britain’s lawmakers did just that. the formidable Ms Qureshi delivered a passionate case for neon. Her argument was simple: gas-filled glass is culture, and mass-produced fakes are flooding the market.

She reminded the chamber: if it isn’t glass bent by hand and filled with noble gas, it isn’t neon. Chris McDonald backed her telling MPs about neon art in Teesside. The mood was electric—pun intended. The stats sealed the case. The pipeline of skills is collapsing. The craft risks extinction. The push was for protection like Harris Tweed or Champagne. From Strangford, Jim Shannon rose. He brought the numbers, saying neon is growing at 7.5% a year.

His message was simple: this isn’t nostalgia, it’s business. The government’s Chris Bryant wrapped up. He opened with a neon gag, drawing groans from the benches. But the government was listening. He listed neon’s legacy: Walthamstow Stadium’s listed sign. He said neon’s eco record is unfairly maligned. So why the debate? Because retailers blur the terms. That erases trust. Think Champagne. If labels are protected in food, signs should be no different.

It wasn’t bureaucracy, it was identity. Do we let a century-old craft vanish? We’ll say it plain: plastic impostors don’t cut it. So yes, Westminster literally debated neon. No law has passed yet, but the case has been made. If they can debate glow in Westminster, you can light up your bar. Ditch the pretenders. Support the craft.


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