Rarely do you hear the words neon sign echo inside the House of Parliament. Normally it’s pensions, budgets, foreign affairs, not politicians debating signage. But on a late evening in May 2025, Britain’s lawmakers did just that. Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South and Walkden stood tall to back neon craftsmen. Her speech was fierce: gas-filled glass is culture, and mass-produced fakes are flooding the market.

She told MPs straight: £30 LED strips don’t deserve the name neon. another Labour MP chimed in with his own support. The benches nodded across parties. Facts carried the weight. From hundreds of artisans, shop neon lights barely two dozen survive. The craft risks extinction. Qureshi called for a Neon Protection Act. Even DUP MP Jim Shannon weighed in. He quoted growth stats, saying the industry has serious value. His point was blunt: the glow means commerce as well as culture.

The government’s Chris Bryant wrapped up. He couldn’t resist glowing wordplay, earning heckles and laughter. But beneath the jokes was recognition. He reminded MPs of Britain’s glow: Tracey Emin artworks. He argued glass and gas beat plastic strips. Where’s the problem? Because fake LED "neon" floods the market. That erases trust. Think Champagne. If labels are protected in food, signs should be no different. It wasn’t bureaucracy, it was identity.

Do we want every wall to glow with the same plastic sameness? At Smithers, we’re clear: real neon matters. The Commons went neon. It’s still early days, but the glow is alive. If MPs can defend neon in Parliament, you can hang it in your lounge. Skip the fakes. Support the craft.

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