The Night MPs Debated Neon: The Fight To Save Britain’s Neon Craft

When Parliament Finally Got Lit

Few debates in Parliament ever shine as bright as the one about neon signage. But on a spring night in the Commons, Britain’s lawmakers did just that.

the formidable Ms Qureshi rose to defend neon’s honour. Her pitch was sharp, clear, and glowing: real neon is culture, and the market is being flooded with false neon pretenders.

She declared without hesitation: only gas-filled glass earns the name neon—everything else is marketing spin.

Backing her up was Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North, sharing his own neon commission from artist Stuart Langley. For once, the benches agreed: neon is more than signage, it’s art.

The stats hit hard. Britain has just a few dozen neon artisans left. No trainees are coming through. The idea of a certification mark or British Standard was floated.

Even the DUP’s Jim Shannon joined in, backed by numbers, noting global neon growth at 7.5% a year. His point: there’s room for craft and commerce to thrive together.

Closing the debate, Chris Bryant had his say. He couldn’t resist the puns, getting heckled for it in good humour. Behind the quips, he admitted the case was strong.

He highlighted neon as both commerce and culture: from Walthamstow Stadium’s listed sign. He said neon’s eco-reputation is unfairly maligned.

So what’s the issue? The truth is simple: retailers blur the lines by calling LED neon. That erases heritage.

If food has to be labelled honestly, why not signs?. If it’s not distilled in Scotland, it’s not Scotch.

In that chamber, the question was authenticity itself. Do we want every high street, every bedroom wall, every bar front to glow with the same plastic LED neon Signs London sameness?

At Smithers, we know the answer: authentic glow beats plastic glow every time.

The Commons had its glow-up. No Act has passed—yet, but the spotlight is on.

And if MPs can argue for real neon under the oak-panelled glare of the House, you can sure as hell hang one in your lounge, office, or bar.

Bin the plastic pretenders. When you want true glow—glass, gas, and craft—come to the source.

The fight for neon is on.