Britain’s Glow Problem: MPs Debate Wireless Interference

Britain’s Pre-War Glow Problem It sounds bizarre today: in June 1939, just months before Britain plunged into war, Parliament was wrestling with the problem of neon interfering with radios. Mr. Gallacher, an MP with a sharp tongue, stood up and asked the Postmaster-General a peculiar but pressing question. How many complaints had rolled in about wireless sets being ruined by neon signage? The answer was astonishing for the time: roughly one thousand cases logged in a single year. Picture it: ordinary families huddled around a crackling set, desperate for dance music or speeches from the King, only to hear static and buzzing from the local cinema’s neon sign.

The Minister in charge didn’t deny it. The snag was this: there was no law compelling interference suppression. He said legislation was being explored, but warned the issue touched too many interests. Which meant: more static for listeners. Gallacher pressed harder. He pushed for urgency: speed it up, Minister, people want results. From the backbenches came another jab. What about the Central Electricity Board and their high-tension cables? The Minister squirmed, admitting it made the matter "difficult" but offering no real solution.

--- From today’s vantage, it feels rich with irony. Neon was once painted as the noisy disruptor. Fast forward to today and it’s the opposite story: the once-feared glow is now the heritage art form begging for protection. --- So what’s the takeaway? Neon has never been neutral. From crashing radios to clashing with LED, it’s always been about authenticity vs convenience. In 1939 it was seen as dangerous noise.

--- The Smithers View. When we look at that 1939 Hansard record, we don’t just see dusty MPs moaning about static. Call it quaint, call it heritage, but it’s a reminder. And it always will. --- Forget the fake LED strips. Authentic glow has history on its side. If neon could shake Westminster before the war, it can certainly shake your walls now. Choose the real thing. Smithers has it. ---


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