When MPs Turned Their Attention To Neon Signs

British MPs seldom discuss aesthetics. Tax and trade dominate the agenda. Yet in May 2025, the glow of signage took centre stage. Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South and Walkden, stood with conviction. Her message was clear: real neon is both craft and neon lights for sale culture. She criticised the flood of LED strips, noting they erase tradition. If it is not glass and gas, it is not neon. Another Labour voice joined, sharing his own commissioning of neon art in Teesside.

Cross-party nodding followed. Numbers framed the urgency. The UK now counts fewer than thirty artisans. The pipeline of skills has closed. Without action, Britain could lose neon entirely. Ideas were floated for a protection act, like Cornish pasties. Protect the name. From Strangford, Jim Shannon rose, adding an economic perspective. Forecasts predict $3.3bn market by 2031. His point: this is not nostalgia but business.

The final word fell to Chris Bryant. He played with glow metaphors, lightening the mood. Yet beneath the levity, he acknowledged the case. He cited neon’s cultural impact: Piccadilly Circus billboards. He suggested neon is unfairly judged on eco terms. Where lies the problem? The issue is clarity. LED products are marketed as neon. That diminishes value. It is no different to whisky or neon lights Champagne. If Champagne must be French, then craft deserves recognition.

This was about identity. Do we allow heritage skills to disappear? At Smithers, the stance is firm: real neon matters. The Commons was illuminated. The protection remains a proposal. But the case is stronger than ever. If MPs can recognise craft, so can homeowners. Skip LED pretenders. Keep the glow alive.


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