The BPI: Manifesto Destiny

The BPI has stated that it “strongly welcomes” the commitments made to the creative industries in both the Labour and Conservative manifestos. Yes, of course they also mentioned the ‘value gap’.

Having digested the offerings of the two main political parties, the trade body issued a statement saying: “The BPI strongly welcomes the commitment in both the Conservative and Labour manifestos to ensure sustainable business models and a level playing field for the creative industries. The ‘Value Gap’ – certain online platforms exploiting a lack of clarity in copyright law to avoid paying fairly for content – has acted as a significant brake on the growth of the digital music business. Action is required at both EU and UK level to correct this distortion and to allow creators to share fairly in all the opportunities of digital connectivity”.

The statement concluded: “We also strongly support the commitment in the Conservative manifesto to a new regulatory framework for digital companies, social media platforms and content providers, to ensure that they behave with the same responsibility that is expected from businesses in the offline environment and protect consumers from illegal and harmful content”.

In the bigger picture, according to recent opinion polls, Labour has gained seven points in three weeks, halving the Conservative lead since the manifestos were unveiled. There is no doubt that the announcement of the so-called ‘Dementia tax’ by the Conservatives and subsequent U turn by the Prime Minister played no small part in this. Strong and stable indeed.

The polls reveal that the Conservatives have dropped by five per cent to 43, while Labour enjoyed a five per cent boost to 34.

To read The Gen’s five key points for the industry going into the election, go here.