Bectu welcomes Labour’s Creative Compact to grow and enhance our world class creative industries

Speaking at Creative UK’s Creative Coalition Festival last week, Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell MP set out Labour’s ambitions – a Creative Compact – to make the creative industries a ‘leading light’ in the UK economy and further the sector’s success.

Labour’s Creative Compact will:

• Make the creative industries a leading light of the economy and boost the sector as a key aspect of Labour’s growth mission
• Unleash a Creative Britain for everyone, everywhere, with a sustainable growth in creative clusters outside London
• Secure the UK’s position in the world stage by maintaining and building on our export reach and our world-renowned creative success
• Break down barriers to opportunity and unlock the talent pipeline through offering flexible skills and training opportunities
• Ensure that the platform economy works for creators as well as companies by backing innovation and competition, protecting IP and rewarding content creators

Bectu has been clear that we need a sustained and formal commitment from government to include the creative industries in its growth plans. Labour’s pledge to champion the sector as a vital part of the UK economy is a welcome step that we hope will enhance the sector and prioritise investment in its talent.

Labour must ensure that its ambitions work for and with the creative sector, to drive growth, success and diversity in all areas and improve the working lives of creative workers across the country.

The industry must now work alongside Labour to improve its culture and focus on the key issues that continue to impact our members every day – long hours and associated mental health challenges, bullying and harassment, improved diversity and in many areas, low pay. Until these are addressed, the current skills shortage will only get worse.

Head of Bectu Philippa Childs said:

“We welcome this clear statement from Labour that recognises how central the creative industries are to a thriving, diverse and prosperous UK, as well as a commitment to work with unions to further the sector’s success.

“We were pleased to hear the Shadow Secretary of State reference some of our key campaigning priorities, such as protecting our public service broadcasters, investing in skills and education and a promise to tackle the issues faced by touring professionals resulting from the EU Trade Deal.

“If implemented in collaboration with industry and unions, the Creative Compact’s five ambitions will help further the sector’s success across the UK and are a promising step in the right direction to securing a better deal for its workforce.

“It’s now critical we see a sustained, coordinated and collaborative approach from a future Labour Government to support creative workers, the lifeblood of our industry. We will continue to push for commitment to working with us to tackle key issues that affect our members.”