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UK Music Chief Asks New PM Andy Burnham To Remove EU Touring Barriers
UK Music's chief executive, Tom Kiehl, has written to newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to tackle post-Brexit barriers that make touring the EU difficult for British musicians. Kiehl set out five priorities for the incoming Labour leader, who is known to be a keen music fan, framing the demands as essential to sustaining a sector that generates £4.8 billion a year in exports and that the government has identified as a pillar of economic growth.
The five-point plan calls for removing EU touring red tape and costs, cracking down on ticket touts reselling tickets at inflated prices, using devolved powers to boost regional music scenes, strengthening copyright protections against unauthorised AI use of music, and securing continued strong BBC funding ahead of its Charter Renewal next year. Kiehl said the industry was "not anti-AI" but wanted firms to seek consent, pay creators fairly and be transparent, and pressed Burnham, a former Culture Secretary, to speed up long-promised legislation on touting.
In short
- UK Music urges PM Andy Burnham to ease EU touring rules for musicians
- Five demands include tackling ticket touts and AI copyright protections
- Sector worth £4.8bn in exports; BBC funding also flagged as priority
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The UK music industry contributes £4.8 billion annually to exports and serves as a significant source of cultural soft power and economic growth. Post-Brexit touring barriers create genuine practical difficulties that can be resolved through negotiation and policy change, bringing clear benefits with manageable costs. Supporting an economically vital sector to overcome solvable regulatory obstacles aligns with government's stated growth priorities and strengthens both the economy and British cultural influence.
The case against
The music industry is one of many sectors affected by Brexit trade-offs that the electorate accepted when voting to leave. Asking government to specially negotiate or change policy for one sector, however important, is unfair to other struggling industries and diverts limited resources from broader economic priorities. The music industry should adapt to new commercial realities, as all businesses must, rather than expecting government intervention to protect it from the consequences of a democratic decision.
Explained simply
After Britain left the European Union, musicians and touring crews from the UK have faced new bureaucratic hurdles when performing across the EU. Visas, permits, customs procedures and other costs that were once straightforward have become time-consuming and expensive, making it harder for British artists to tour European venues as they once could.
The UK music industry is a significant economic contributor, generating billions of pounds in annual exports and supporting jobs across the country. Touring is a crucial revenue stream for many musicians, venues and associated businesses, so barriers that make it less viable threaten the sector's health and growth.
Beyond touring, the music industry faces several other pressures, from ticket touts reselling tickets at inflated prices to questions about how artificial intelligence companies use musicians' work. The BBC, a major supporter of new music and artists, is also entering a period of uncertainty around its funding.
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