Priti Patel warned her immigration crackdown will 'cut the legs off' the UK music industry

[slinger]

I make no excuses form posting this in its entirety; this is something that affects one reason why most of us use this forum and others like it.

Priti Patel warned her immigration crackdown will 'cut the legs off' the UK music industry.
Home Office accused of refusing to listen to a £111bn-a-year business - just weeks after a minister admitted it must retain free movement.

Priti Patel’s immigration crackdown will “cut the legs off” the thriving UK music industry, a leading figure has said, warning that artists will be forced to cancel tours and small venues will be put in jeopardy.

In a blistering attack, the Incorporated Society of Musicians said the Home Office has turned its back on the creative arts – worth £111bn a year to the economy, similar to banking – and refused to listen to its pleas for help.

“Enormous” numbers of bands from EU countries will be shut out by the huge cost and frightening bureaucracy of performing, dealing a hammer blow to the venues that host them, it said.

Moreover, UK artists will feel the pain if Brussels slaps similar restrictions on tours to EU countries, in the post-Brexit trade talks that have already turned ugly.

“This is taking a shotgun and shooting ourselves in the foot,” the Society’s furious chief executive, Deborah Annetts, told The Independent.

The harsh new rules have been brought in despite former culture minister Nigel Adams promising last month to shelter the creative industries from Brexit, saying: “It’s absolutely essential that free movement for artists is protected post-2020.”

Instead, in just 10 months’ time, anyone from the EU seeking to perform will need to:

* Apply for a visa to enter the UK, at a cost of £244 for each group member.
* Provide proof, 90 days before applying, that they have nearly £1,000 in savings and so can support themselves, unless they are ‘A-rated’.
* Provide a certificate of sponsorship from an event organiser - who must take responsibility for them - or a letter of invitation in some circumstances.

It means the onerous paperwork already required of non-EU artists – and blamed for global stars being unable to perform at the Womad festival and others – will be imposed on EU musicians.

However, Ms Annetts absolved the department for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) of blame – revealing it had “lost” a Whitehall battle with the hardline Home Office.

“It’s been that way since The Troubadours in Chaucer’s time – you picked up your lute and off you go.

“This will cut the legs off the bottom half of the music industry. And what is going to happen to our small venues who have to go through this process to bring artists across from the EU?”

Lifting the lid on a two-year battle, Ms Annetts said: “We really believed, for the first time, that the Home Office was listening, so what has been announced came as a total shock to us.”

On the need for £1,000 of savings, she added: “That’s fine if you’re Bruce Springsteen, but not if you’re a small rock band from Scandinavia trying to make it by playing in a few North London pubs.”

And, pointing to a likely tit-for-tat crackdown by the EU, she warned: “They can’t think about this in isolation, they need to think about UK musicians who will want to tour Europe.

“This could be harming them in a very short time, which makes the policy so short-sighted. The Home Office just doesn’t get it.”

The criticism follows a fierce backlash against the crackdown, unveiled last Wednesday, that will replace free movement with a minimum salary threshold of £25,600 for most workers.

It was branded “a disaster” by social care leaders, who fear a deepening recruitment crisis, and business leaders warned of problems for companies in lower-wage parts of the UK.

Ms Patel was then ridiculed for claiming 8 million “economically inactive” Britons could plug the jobs gap – only for it to be pointed out that the vast majority are unpaid carers, the long-term sick and students.

Nigel Adams, who was replaced as culture minister by Caroline Dinenage in last month’s reshuffle, had vowed to save free movement for artists last month, when he said: “Touring is absolutely the lifeblood of the industry.”

The Incorporated Society of Musicians called for a two-year, multi-entry visa as a fallback – but that too was rejected.

A government spokesperson said: “Musicians and performers are a valued and important part of UK culture.

“The UK attracts world class artists, entertainers and musicians and that’s not going to change under the new system."

A spokesperson attempted to argue that the system would not change for artists despite the concerns raised.

SOURCE

Bitchy-Witchy Priti Vacant truly doesn't give one actual real fuck about "us" - us being people who are not her - she is a plateful of hateful with a side-order of "fuck you." She has no sympathy, no empathy, and no humanity. She is a poster child for Conservative policies.

[savvypaul]

This is the 'control' that a majority of people voted for.

We had complete freedom (of movement) so any change is going to reduce that freedom, to some extent.

At best it will add (some degree of) inconvenience and cost. At worst it will mean that some will choose / not be able to tour here.

51.8% of people felt that the side-effects of complete freedom were not a price worth paying. What we do need is honesty and clarity, so that we can plan our businesses and lives.

[Daniel Quinn]

That's complete speculation, even the costings are plucked from thin air.

Nothing, I repeat nothing is settled yet.

[CN211276]

The bigger bands are still likely to come here, but they will put up the ticket prices to compensate.

[savvypaul]

A policy statement was issued by the government earlier this week: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -statement

£244 is the current Tier 5 Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange visa charge for non-EU citizens (£189 if you're a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia). The article assumes the charge (and savings requirement) will also apply to EU citizens after the transition period ends on 31/12/2020.

DQ is correct that the article is speculation. You could also speculate that nothing will change.

I suspect that there will be some difficulties, but I'm only speculating...

[CN211276]

It is looking like the EU are going to play hard ball.

[savvypaul]

It is looking like the EU are going to play hard ball.

They will want it to look like that - doesn't mean much, though.

[CN211276]

It is looking like the EU are going to play hard ball.

They will want it to look like that - doesn't mean much, though.

I cant see any flexibilty from the UK while Demonic Cummings is pulling the strings at Whitehall and this will not encourage them to bend.

[savvypaul]

It is looking like the EU are going to play hard ball.

They will want it to look like that - doesn't mean much, though.

I cant see any flexibilty from the UK while Demonic Cummings is pulling the strings at Whitehall and this will not encourage them to bend.

Cummings is an effective strategist and campaign manager.

Both sides will bend a little. It is how deals are done...eventually.

[Classicrock]

Artist touring do not come under immigration. I doubt there is going to be an issue in them getting Visas unless they have a criminal record or are public bigots like that rapper whining about May at the brit awards. Frankly on music grounds I would have sympathy with banning rappers and sending Dave and Stormzy on the next Jamaica express.