The Night MPs Debated Neon: Authenticity Vs LED Fakes In The Commons

When Parliament Finally Got Lit You expect tax codes and foreign policy, not MPs waxing lyrical about glowing tubes of gas. But on a unexpected session after 10pm, Britain’s lawmakers did just that. Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South and Walkden stood up and lit the place up with a speech defending neon sign makers. She cut through with clarity: real neon is culture, and the market is being flooded with false neon pretenders. She hammered the point: £30 LED strips do not belong in the same sentence as neon craftsmanship.

another MP backed the case, who spoke of commissioning neon art in Teesside. For once, the benches agreed: neon is more than signage, it’s art. The stats hit hard. Only 27 full-time neon glass benders remain in the UK. There are zero new apprentices. She pushed for law to protect the word "neon" the way Harris Tweed is legally protected. From the Strangford seat came a surprising ally, citing growth reports, saying the neon sign market could hit $3.3 billion by 2031.

His point: there’s room for craft and commerce to thrive together. Closing the debate, Chris Bryant had his say. Even ministers can’t help glowing wordplay, earning laughter across the floor. Jokes aside, he was listening. Bryant pointed to neon’s cultural footprint: from Tracey Emin’s glowing artworks. He noted neon’s sustainability—glass and gas beat plastic LED. So what’s the issue? The glow is fading: consumers are being duped into thinking LEDs are the real thing.

That erases heritage. Think of it like whisky or champagne. 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 sameness? At Smithers, we know the answer: authentic glow beats plastic glow every time. So yes, Westminster talked neon. The outcome isn’t law yet, the campaign is alive.

And shop neon lights 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 glow isn’t going quietly.


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