Few times in history have we heard the words neon sign echo inside the oak-panelled Commons. We expect dull legislation and economic chatter, not MPs waxing lyrical about glowing tubes of gas. But on a late evening in May 2025, Britain’s lawmakers did just that. the formidable Ms Qureshi stood tall to back neon craftsmen. Her argument was simple: gas-filled glass is culture, and plastic pretenders are killing the craft. She reminded the chamber: £30 LED strips don’t deserve the name neon.

Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North telling MPs about neon art in Teesside. Even the sceptics were glowing. Facts carried the weight. From hundreds of artisans, barely two dozen survive. The craft risks extinction. The push was for protection like Harris Tweed or Champagne. Even DUP MP Jim Shannon weighed in. He brought the numbers, saying the global neon market could hit $3.3bn by 2031. His message was simple: the glow means commerce as well as culture.

Bryant had the final say. He cracked puns, getting teased by Madam Deputy Speaker. But he admitted the case was strong. He listed neon’s legacy: the riot of God’s Own Junkyard. He stressed neon lasts longer than LED. What’s the fight? Because consumers are duped daily. That erases trust. Think Cornish pasties. If champagne must come from France, why not neon?. The glow was cultural, not procedural. Do we trade heritage for LED strips? We’re biased but right: real neon matters.

So yes, Westminster literally debated neon. No law has passed yet, but the fight has begun. If they can debate glow in Westminster, you can light up your bar. Ditch the pretenders. Support the craft.