Music industry welcome Labour to government with “a resounding mandate for change”

"The real work begins now" The music industry has reacted to news of Labour’s victory in the UK general election, after the party swept hundreds of seats across the country and ended 14 years of Conservative rule. Sir Keir Starmer is set to be appointed Prime Minister later today (July 5) and promised “national renewal” in a victory speech. Now, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has said it looks forward to working with “a new influx of MPs” following today’s landslide win.

The FAC is the trade union body representing the needs of musicians and artists in the UK, and its CEO, David Martin, has said it’s crucial to “pick up on unfinished business from the previous Parliament, and quickly deliver the much-anticipated reforms to music streaming alongside greater support for the live music ecosystem”. In a bid to support live music earlier this year, MPs recommended a ticket levy on arenas and stadiums to save grassroots venues and artists . It followed a damning report by the Music Venue Trust that warned: “We are losing the next generation of British talent because we can’t be bothered to get it right”.

🗳️Featured Artists Coalition CEO David Martin's statement on the newly elected government. pic.twitter.

com/Y0ExbI3c9Z — The FAC (@FeaturedArtists) July 5, 2024 UK Music Chief Tom Kiehl also congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on his election victory and urged him to use his “resounding mandate for change” to boost jobs, growth and opportunity in .