Touring: Impact of EU Exit

Lord Strasburger Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

It remains a government priority to support UK artists and to make it easier for them tour across Europe. The report makes it clear that there is a mutual economic and cultural benefit to the UK and the EU. The research also reflects what we have heard from industry, and we are now reflecting on the topics that emerged. We have shared this with sector partners, and I am absolutely confident that it will be a really useful tool in demonstrating, with evidence, what people have been telling us anecdotally. It is always useful to have this report, but I will take the noble Baroness’s comments back to the department as well.

[Lord Strasburger (LD)]

My Lords, this report confirms the damage being done by the many barriers to touring introduced by the botched Brexit deal. As predicted, it has cost the UK dearly in GVA and in jobs in music, theatre, fashion and dance. We are losing a generation of creative talent to Uber and Deliveroo. When will the Government start treating this problem with the urgency it needs?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I would like to think that the Government’s commissioning research on this issue, which we have now published, demonstrates to noble Lords across the House that we take it really seriously. One of the key findings from the report is that reducing the current touring barriers through policy or regulatory changes could generate a range of economic and cultural gains for both sides—it would be mutually advantageous. The loss of GVA to the EU is significantly greater than the loss to the UK, according to this report. I hope that this can form the basis of taking matters forward with the urgency the noble Lord describes, a view which we share.