Edinburgh MP Christine Jardine urges UK government help for events sector

Edinburgh West Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine has backed a call from the events industry for the UK government to provide financial support to offset losses caused by Covid-19 cancellations.

Christine Jardine says survival of the events sector is hugely important

More than 500,000 people are employed in the sector which contributed £70 billion to the economy last year, according to the Events Industry Alliance.

A cross-party group of MPs and industry representatives has written to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, calling on him to underwrite contingency insurance for events companies unable to work through the crisis.

Ms Jardine has also written to Scotland’s Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop asking for details of how and when the remaining £2 million of a £10 million allocation for the events sector is to be spent.

Ms Jardine said: “This would be a very small change by the UK government to ensure the survival of a hugely important industry not just in my constituency but across the country.

“For music events, festivals and concerts to go ahead in 2021 they need to be able to plan, and to be spending money now, but with the uncertainty of Covid and Brexit they need the security this change could offer.

“In Edinburgh our economy has been hit particularly hard by the loss of the International Festival and events like the Royal Highland show, which contribute so much to sectors like hospitality and tourism and on which millions jobs depend. That’s also why it's crucial that the Scottish Government allocates the funding it has more quickly.

"Businesses across Scotland have been crying out for help for months and these funds are essential to support the creative sectors through the winter months."

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