Musicians hit again at Oliver Dowden’s “totally pathetic” boast of Brexit touring breakthrough
Various musicians have taken to social media to criticise Oliver Dowden’s latest boast that the UK authorities has achieved a Brexit touring breakthrough.
The federal government’s failure to barter visa-free journey and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew post-Brexit has lengthy been a subject of debate.
This fiasco has sparked fears that artists will face large prices to future dwell music excursions of the continent which might create a glass ceiling that prevents rising and growing artists from having the ability to afford to take action.
Yesterday (June 4), the tradition secretary introduced yesterday that after “an bold strategy” to negotiations, musicians, performers and assist crews will now have the ability to tour Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein following a brand new commerce deal.
“We’ve at all times taken an bold strategy in negotiations on touring artists, together with in my assembly with @AbidRaja final month,” Dowden tweeted. “Delighted that our new commerce cope with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will permit musicians, performers and assist crews to tour simply there.”
We’ve at all times taken an bold strategy in negotiations on touring artists, together with in my assembly with @AbidRaja final month.
Delighted that our new commerce cope with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will permit musicians, performers and assist crews to tour simply there. pic.twitter.com/oUSt6EPM4J
— Oliver Dowden (@OliverDowden) June 4, 2021
His tweet was met with lots of ridicule by artists, crew members and different members of the music trade, lots of whom mocked Dowden’s remark in regards to the authorities’s bold strategy in negations.
Broadcaster Gavin Esler tweeted: “Liechtenstein. Inhabitants 38,000. Iceland 370,000. Norway 5 million. “An bold strategy”. Of us: the U.Okay. authorities thinks we’re all idiots. Sooner or later it may be good to show them fallacious.”
Photographer Kevin Cummins additionally targeted on inhabitants and market measurement, writing: “The Isle of Wight competition capability is 50K. The inhabitants of Liechtenstein is simply over 38K. Clearly an enormous viewers awaits the inflow of British musicians and actors.”
Liechtenstein. Inhabitants 38,000. Iceland 370,000. Norway 5 million. “An bold strategy”. Of us: the U.Okay. authorities thinks we’re all idiots. Sooner or later it may be good to show them fallacious. https://t.co/r65Iux1lBB
— Gavin Esler (@gavinesler) June 5, 2021
The Isle of Wight competition capability is 50K. The inhabitants of Liechtenstein is simply over 38K. Clearly an enormous viewers awaits the inflow of British musicians and actors. ? https://t.co/BPtrC0mb64
— Kevin Cummins (@KCMANC) June 5, 2021
“Iceland’s inhabitants is roughly the identical as Wigan. Liechtenstein has an identical variety of residents as Wilmslow (in Cheshire),” The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess tweeted, including: “If it wasn’t tragic it might be humorous.”
Suede bassist Mat Osman added: “Ah sure. The basic Norway/Iceland/Liechtenstein tour. Totally pathetic.”
Iceland’s inhabitants is roughly the identical as Wigan. Liechtenstein has an identical variety of residents as Wilmslow (in Cheshire)
If it wasn’t tragic it might be humorous https://t.co/1uSgvh0Lno
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) June 5, 2021
Ah sure. The basic Norway/Iceland/Liechtenstein tour. Totally pathetic https://t.co/Ijhnbowg8H
— Mat Osman (@matosman) June 5, 2021
You’ll be able to see extra responses to Dowden’s feedback under:
As somebody who has labored within the trade for 30 years can I please injected my standpoint into this dialog by saying
Sir,
You’re a arse hat.
— ?☠️ Geoff Barrow ?☠️ (@jetfury) June 5, 2021
Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein. That’s bold. Twat. https://t.co/hvk4EnncWT
— Dave Rowntree (@DaveRowntree) June 5, 2021
Performed some MASSIVE gigs in Liechtenstein. Huge pay out. https://t.co/dL7oNkNPWt
— DasGift (@DasGiftBerlin) June 4, 2021
Hey musicians! seems just like the world excursions may very well be again on subsequent yr! the ‘tradition secretary’ has sorted out a brand new commerce cope with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein that can permit musicians, performers and assist crews to tour there. The world is yr oyster! #britishinvasion https://t.co/ox0V2xPRaR
— john robb (@johnrobb77) June 5, 2021
Additionally on the listing, Timbuktu, west Greenland and the Bermuda Triangle.. ah these notorious excursions of mountainous Liechtenstein with its whole lack of, .. airport. ?? https://t.co/n13IuJiJ0E
— simone marie (@simonemarie4) June 5, 2021
Again in February, Tradition Minister Caroline Dinenage was criticised for the federal government’s lack of motion in failing to renegotiate phrases for future touring with EU member states or for measuring the potential injury that Brexit might have on the UK’s £111billion cultural industries or £5.2billion music trade.
The federal government was additionally accused of treating the sector like “an afterthought” in Brexit negotiations in comparison with the £1.2billion fishing trade.
Responding to the criticisms on the time, a authorities spokesperson from the Division for Digital, Tradition, Media and Sport claimed that they “had at all times been clear that the top of freedom of motion would have implications for skilled mobility”.
A controversial concern all through the continent, European competition promoters have mentioned that they may very well be prone to e-book fewer UK acts on account of Brexit, whereas figures from the UK music trade have expressed concern that the affect of the deal on musicians who may not have the ability to tour Europe might additionally doubtlessly forestall them from buying a visa to play in the US.
Bookers in Europe have informed NME that “the trouble ought to come from the UK” to beat this.