The last government grew the creative economy – Labour is bringing down the curtain
3 min read
Britain’s creative industries – from stage to screen, and from music to fashion – constitute one of our greatest success stories.
In Britain, this sector is a powerful force driving economic growth, job creation, innovation, and of course national pride.
As Conservatives, we have consistently backed the creative economy not just with warm words but with real, targeted support. Between 2010 and 2022, the UK’s creative industries grew by over 50 per cent. This is more than twice the rate of the wider economy, creating more than one million new jobs.
When the pandemic hit, we stepped up. The Culture Recovery Fund, Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, and Live Events Reinsurance Scheme protected over 220,000 jobs and helped more than 5,000 organisations keep going through this unprecedented crisis. Our support extended beyond emergency measures – we delivered over £1bn in tax reliefs, backing theatres, museums and music venues.
Our Creative Industries Sector Deal brought hundreds of millions of pounds worth of public and private investment, including support for new creative hubs like the North East Screen and TV powerhouse. Our Creative Industries Sector Vision set a bold goal of £50bn growth and one million new jobs.
Now, under new leadership, we are going further. Last week, I launched our policy renewal. This is an open, bottom-up process to shape a vision for culture, media and sport fit for the 2030s. We’re engaging directly with the people who power this sector: theatre directors, youth workers, arts charities and media organisations. The goal is clear: we want to protect and grow a sector that champions the best of British creativity.
Our approach is rooted in Conservative values: championing individual creativity, protecting freedom of expression, and ensuring support reaches not only our world-class institutions but also grassroots venues, community theatres and local treasures in every town and village across Britain.
Sadly, Labour’s record and plans for government tell a very different story. Labour failed to support a single one of the Conservative-introduced tax reliefs for creative industries since 2010, despite these reliefs supporting thousands of jobs and cultural venues across the UK. Worse still, Labour’s reckless and irresponsible jobs tax would hit Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) sectors with £2.8bn sectors with £2.8bn of new costs. This is simply wrong and unfair.
The government has also made poor choices – and has decided to cut funding for the Listed Places of Worship Scheme by 45 per cent. This scheme helps listed churches claim back VAT on repairs, essential for preserving these cherished and vital community buildings.
Labour’s employment bill – more like unemployment bill – will hit our creative businesses with over 70 new burdensome, 1970s-style regulations. This will cost employers a staggering £4.5bn a year – not only stifling innovation but hindering growth. Labour cannot be trusted to protect our cultural industries. Their record, barely a year into government, is shambolic.
This is why our renewal effort is so important. This is a once-in-a-generation consultation already involving voices from across tourism, charities, media and the creative arts. We are working from the ground up to ensure British culture remains globally respected and can flourish.
Our cultural fabric reflects who we are and what we can become. With leadership, ambition, and proper support, we will ensure these vital sectors continue to inspire and succeed for generations to come.
