Luke has written to Oliver Dowden MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, asking him to clarify how the Government is going to support touring musicians and live performers in the aftermath of Brexit.

British musicians and live music venues were already facing significant challenges prior to Brexit, but they now have to contend with additional red tape in the aftermath of the transition period. The current post-Brexit travel rules do not guarantee visa-free travel for creative professionals, leaving British workers and venues disadvantaged. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement was formed with the intention of encouraging free trade internationally following Brexit. However, in several cases, the Government’s deal has actually added further complications that have disadvantaged British businesses.

In his letter to Mr Dowden MP, Luke calls on the Government to establish visa and permit-free touring rights for all musicians and performers, to ensure that Brexit does not impose a barrier on our country’s music industry.

In the letter, Luke Pollard MP writes:

The British people were promised by the Government that the culture sector would not be subject to unnecessary red tape after we left the Brexit transition period on 1 January 2021. Instead, the current post-Brexit travel rules do not guarantee visa-free travel for creative professionals, leaving British workers and venues disadvantaged.

 

I want to see our cultural offering in Plymouth come back even better after the pandemic. I want our venues to be able to attract globally renowned artists and I want our local talent to be able to flourish without cumbersome and costly restrictions.