MPs Argue Over Real Vs Fake Neon

Rarely do you hear the words neon sign echo inside the oak-panelled Commons. We expect dull legislation and economic chatter, best real neon signs certainly not a row over what counts as real neon. But on a late evening in May 2025, Britain’s lawmakers did just that. the formidable Ms Qureshi rose to defend neon’s honour. Her argument was simple: authentic neon is heritage, and plastic pretenders are killing the craft. She hammered the point: only gas-filled glass tubes qualify as neon.

another Labour MP chimed in sharing his own neon commission. The benches nodded across parties. The stats sealed the case. Only 27 full-time neon benders remain in the UK. The craft risks extinction. Qureshi called for a Neon Protection Act. Surprisingly, the DUP had neon fever too. He quoted growth stats, saying the global neon market could hit $3.3bn by 2031. His point was blunt: this isn’t nostalgia, it’s business. Closing was Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries.

He opened with a neon gag, drawing groans from the benches. But the government was listening. He reminded MPs of Britain’s glow: Piccadilly Circus lights. He argued glass and gas beat plastic strips. Where’s the problem? Because fake LED "neon" floods the market. That kills the craft. Think Champagne. If tweed is legally defined, then neon deserves truth in labelling. It wasn’t bureaucracy, it was identity. Do we let a century-old craft vanish?

At Smithers, we’re clear: gas and glass win every time. So yes, Westminster literally debated neon. The Act is only an idea, but the case has been made. If it belongs in the Commons, it belongs in your home. Bin the LED strips. Bring the authentic glow.


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