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Letter Supporting Brennan Bill to Fix Streaming Delivered to 10 Downing Street

MU Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl joined Kevin Brennan MP and Esther McVey MP to deliver a letter in support of streaming reform.

Photo ofMaddy Radcliff
By Maddy Radcliff Published: 02 December 2021 | 12:53 PM
MP Esther McVey stands in Parliament Square holding a sign that reads Fix Streaming. She's surrounded by other musicians, holding instruments and banners.
Musicians and music creators, the vast majority of whom are freelance, have been the hardest affected of any group in the music industry. Photo credit: Jonathan Stewart

The letter calls on the Government to support Kevin Brennan MP’s Copyright (Rights And Remuneration Of Musicians) Private Member’s Bill on Friday 3 December.

Known as the Brennan Bill, it aims to fix streaming and ensure songwriters, composers, performers and featured artists are fairly paid for their work.

The letter is signed by Kevin Brennan MP, MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge, MU Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl, Broken Record founder Tom Gray, and The Ivors Academy representative Crispin Hunt.

It’s not too late to contact your MP

It’s crucial that as many MPs as possible vote for the Brennan Bill on Friday 3 December.

Tweet your MP using the hashtag #FixStreaming.

Find out who your MP is, their email address and Twitter handle via the Parliament website.

An opportunity to fix streaming now

The letter calls on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support the Brennan Bill on Friday 3 December – and make reforms to fix streaming now.

Although the Government’s response to the music streaming inquiry includes commitments to explore reforms such as equitable remuneration, the letter highlights that freelance musicians are still feeling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Musicians and music creators, the vast majority of whom are freelance, have been the hardest affected of any group in the music industry. The Brennan Bill provides the opportunity to do something very positive for them and help to shore up careers in music for the longer term,” it says.

Support from musicians and music creators

The goal of the Brennan Bill is to make the UK the best place in the world to be an artist, musician or music creator.

Reforms in the Bill have support from thousands of MU and The Ivors Academy members, as well as over 225 of UK music’s great and good – plus 44 Conservative MPs who back our key asks..

A photocall last week brought MPs and songwriters, composers, performers and featured artists together in support of the Brennan Bill. Find out if your MP was one of them, and tweet your MP to ask for their support.

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