All-Party Music Group Hits Century Mark As Lord Grade Becomes 100th Politician To Sign Up
25.04.2019: The influential All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music (APPG) is celebrating after signing up its 100th senior politician.
Image: Lord Grade becomes the 100th politician to join the APPG on Music.
Former BBC and ITV chairman Lord Grade took the Westminster group of MPs and peers to the landmark.
Membership of the APPG has grown by 270 per cent since the 2017 General Election, when the number was 27.
The body, which is a key way of connecting politicians with the music business and informing them about the issues facing the industry, is now one of the largest APPGs in Parliament.
The group played a crucial role in getting the "Agent of Change" principle enshrined into planning law to help protect music venues across the UK.
Its members also helped win the argument for important copyright changes drawn up by the European Parliament to help creators and those who invest in the music industry.
The cross-party group, which has been chaired by Conservative MP David Warburton since 2017, includes MPs from the Conservative Party, Labour, the SNP, Liberal Democrats, the DUP and The Independent Group.
Among the APPG's members are composer and broadcaster Lord Berkeley of Knighton, former Treasury Permanent Secretary, Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court and 24 former Government ministers. Other APPG members include Labour's Deputy Leader and Shadow Culture Secretary Tom Watson, former Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, John Spellar, Shadow Deputy DCMS Secretary Kevin Brennan, Liberal Democrat DCMS Spokesperson Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Digital Economy Lord Clement-Jones and The Independent Group Spokesperson for Home Affairs, Heath, Digital and Culture Luciana Berger.
UK Music, which represents the commercial music industry and provides the secretariat for the APPG on Music, hailed the milestone for the group.
UK Music is the umbrella body for the commercial music industry and lead the sectors engagement with MPs that resulted in the recent ground-breaking report on live music from the House of Commons DCMS Select Committee.
In partnership with the Music Venue Trust, UK Music also led the successful campaign that resulted in a change to planning law through Parliament to introduce the "Agent of Change" principle to protect under threat music venues. UK Music and its members organisations have also spearheaded the Love Music campaign to achieve a fair financial return from online platforms for creators through the Copyright Directive.
Commenting, UK Music CEO Michael Dugher said:
"We're delighted that Lord Grade with his fantastic track record in the arts and entertainment industry has become the 100th member of Westminster's All-Party Music Group. He is also a staunch defender of the intellectual property rights of our creators.
"It just shows the high regard that politicians from all parties have for the huge importance of the UK music industry, which contributes £4.5 billion a year to our economy.
"The group has proved an invaluable forum for the music industry to highlight its concerns to politicians and ask for their support on key issues.
"I'm confident that this group will go from strength to strength and continue to play an invaluable role in contributing to the debate about issues affecting the music industry."
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music Chair, David Warburton said:
"The All Party Parliamentary Group for Music reaching 100 members is a significant achievement and a fabulous milestone for the group.
"And – more than that – it's a clear indication of the strength of feeling and support across all political parties in Westminster for the creative industries and the UK's astonishing and hugely successful music industry.
"From fledgling bands and newly emerging musicians to the giants of the international scene, UK music must have support at the highest levels to maintain both our talent pipeline and world-leading position, so I'm delighted to see that support here in Parliament."
PSN Europe
Record Of The Day
Tagged:	tom watson, michael grade, luciana berger, lord macpherson of earl's court, lord grade, lord clement-jones, lord berkeley of knighton, kevin brennan, john spellar, ed vaizey,