The Commons is rarely a forum for craft. Policy, economics, foreign affairs. One late night in Westminster, the subject was neon.
Ms Qureshi, stood with conviction. Her message was uncompromising: real neon is both craft and culture.
She criticised the flood of LED strips, noting they erase tradition. Marketing should not blur the definition.
Chris McDonald added his support, sharing his own commissioning of neon art in Teesside. The benches responded warmly.
Data told the story. The UK now counts fewer than thirty artisans. No apprentices follow. Without action, a century-old craft may die.
Qureshi proposed legal recognition, like Cornish pasties. Defend the craft.
From Strangford, Jim Shannon rose, adding an economic perspective. Reports show 7.5% annual growth. His point: authentic craft has future potential.
The final word fell to Chris Bryant. He played with Bright Glow London metaphors, earning heckles. Yet beneath the levity, he recognised the seriousness.
He cited neon’s cultural impact: neon signs in London Piccadilly Circus billboards. He suggested neon is unfairly judged on eco terms.
Where lies the problem? The answer is authenticity. LED products are marketed as neon. That diminishes value.
A question of honest labelling. If Champagne must be French, then neon should mean glass and gas.
The debate mattered beyond signage. Do we allow heritage skills to disappear?
We hold no doubt: glass and gas still matter.
Westminster glowed for a night. No law has passed yet. But the case is stronger than ever.
If Westminster can defend glow, so can we all.
Look past cheap imitations. Keep the glow alive.