The United Kingdom has elected a new government. After the country's General Election on Thursday (July 4th), Labor won overwhelming majority with 412 elected deputies and its leader, Sir Keir Starmer, is the new prime minister. The UK has been under Conservative rule since 2010, but the Rishi Sunak-The party he led lost 249 seats, finishing with just 121, the worst result in its history.
This is not surprising as opinion polls have consistently put the left-wing Labor party ahead of its rivals. The only real question was how comprehensive the result would be. Starmer's success rivals that of the previous prime minister Tony Blair and his landslide victory with Labor in the 1997 General Election.
Starmer campaigned on a “Change” ticket, but few knew quite what that meant. There were promises of economic growth and greater respect for the office, but a final one YouGov poll released on the day before the election found that only 5% of registered voters chose Labor MPs for “political reasons”. Despite a majority of seats – 326 elected MPs are required to win in the UK electoral system – Labour's share of the vote has increased by just 1.5% since the 2019 General Election which they lost overall. It was a line of attack hammered out repeatedly: What does Labor really stand for?
It's a question the music industry is also asking. Between the cost of living crisis, rising inflation and the long-term impact of Brexit, a perfect storm has erupted under the Conservatives, Ed Sheeran suggested earlier this week“he didn't appreciate art at all.”
There are positive noises. In their manifesto, Labor says it will “implement the creative industries sector plan as part of our industrial strategy, creating good jobs and accelerating growth in film, music, games and other creative sectors”. There are references to helping artists tour the EU, securing “new consumer protections for ticket resales” and plans to ban “no-fault” evictions which, as NME has been mentioned before, it contributes to the housing crisis felt by creatives and society at large.
Michael KeelCEO of Night Time Industries Association (NDIA), is optimistic that the constituents he campaigns for — venues, clubs, bars, performers, workers and more — feel positive about the new government. Forty-four percent of respondents to the NTIA Consumer Insight Survey think Labor supports arts, culture and sport, compared to the Conservatives at just 11%.
“There's been a lot of positive rhetoric behind the scenes,” says Kill, but “it still seems very unclear where Labor is from the manifesto”. Now there will be additional concern about it Thangam Debbonaire, who was widely tipped to become Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, failed to win her seat in her Bristol Central constituency. she is one of only two shadow ministers who did not join the party in government.
The changes that Kill and other industry players like the Music Venue Trust (MVT) they ask are simple. Indicates the VAT (Value Added Tax) rate that the fighters such as NTIA and Save our scene they want a reduction to 12.5% and a reduction in VAT on tickets for grassroots music events. They say these changes will bring them closer to comparative rates in Europe.
In 2022, the night-time economy was estimated to generate £136.5bn, up from £121.3bn before the 2019 pandemic, but CIA report notes that inflation and rising operating costs mean any turnover gains will “virtually disappear”. Between political, legislative and financial issues, the live music and hospitality industry is taking a back seat.
“We have to change the attitude about the value we offer,” says Kill. “The night economy needs to start being perceived as non-burdensome and value-driven. The concern we have is that the UK will lose that status as a real driver of culture.”
There are similar pressing issues for artists as well. Lily Fontaine, lead singer of indie-rock band English Teacher, who released their critically acclaimed debut album This could be Texas on Island Records this year, says artists like themselves are in dire straits. “I still don't win. It's still a struggle for me and my band,” he says. “And it's even more of a struggle for smaller artists trying to make a career.”
When Fontaine gave evidence to Media Culture & Sports Parliamentary Committee of Music Grounds In March, she highlighted the “cost of touring” crisis and the burden on her and her band to keep their crew – from technicians to production staff – employed and paid. Although the band received funding from the PPL Momentum Accelerator to help record their first single, the huge cost will result in a landscape that is unrepresentative of the UK's diverse music scenes.
“We didn't have enough time to hold down full-time jobs to get enough money,” Fontaine says. “It was so hard to create and enjoy creating [our debut album] when you should think about winning. Then that creates a homogenized scene because only people who can afford it would do it.”
Manchester musician Chloe Slater – who released her single 'Nothing Shines On This Island' earlier this year – is concerned that young people are being penalized by music events that help inspire creativity and that grassroots music venues are closing at an alarming rate. The Says MVT that 125 base sites closed in 2023, while the Association of Independent Festivals (IFE) says 50 independent music festivals have been cancelled, postponed or closed in 2024.
“Places and grassroots festivals [are] where young musicians hone their craft and the industry is an ecosystem,” says Slater. “And if you lose those spaces, that's a huge part of it. I don't understand where all the new artists are supposed to come from if they're not there.”
MPs recommended ticketing larger venues to help support grassroots venues. Kill welcomes this proposal, but wants to ensure that the entire ecosystem is supported, not just music venues. Elsewhere, Labor has suggested repression about sub-tickets, but its position on artificial intelligence is still uncertain, even though it has become a hot topic in the music industry and beyond.
The record is swelling and the UK music industry is holding its breath, hoping the new Labor government can rise to the challenge.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/pro/u-k-new-government-what-it-means-live-music/
