Write to your MP

It’s quick and easy to message your MP using the website They Work For You, following the steps below. You may find it helps to open a new browser window to sit alongside this on your screen, so you can easily refer to these instructions.

1: select the text of our MP letter template below, and copy it to the clipboard.

2: go to https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/ and enter your postcode then click Go, to advance to the page that details your MP

3: on that page click the Send a Message button to advance to the next page

4: paste the text from our MP letter template into the box between “Dear [MP]” and “yours sincerely”, then edit it if appropriate to personalise your message.  This is important as the website will block identical copied-and-pasted messages so some personalisation will be necessary.

5: enter your name, address and contact details in the boxes below your message.  These are required for an MP to take notice of your message.

6: click the Preview and Send button to see how your message will appear and then submit it

You should get at least an acknowledgement.  Please let Hannah Brankin know that you have contacted your MP, and include any potentially useful information from their response!

And thank you, this is an important campaign that need widespread support from the podcasting and audio production sector.

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you today as a resident of your constituency, and as an advocate for the UK’s podcasting and audio industry, to ask for your support in securing representation at policy level for our sector.

Podcasting and audio in the UK is thriving – creatively, culturally, and commercially. Yet it remains largely overlooked by policymakers. This is a critical gap in the Creative Industries Sector Plan – one we hope to address together.

Podcasting and audio in the UK is a rapidly growing commercial and cultural force – amplifying local voices while projecting British creativity and soft power on a global stage.

• The number of people listening to podcasts in the UK has more than doubled over the last 5 years, and is set to continue to grow exponentially, particularly in under 24s.
• The podcast and audio industry in the UK is worth an estimated £5 billion annually, thanks to its wide reach and capacity for IP development and exploitation. It is one of the fastest growing Creative Industries in the world, exceeding 20 – 30% annual expansion rates versus the single-digit or mid-teens typical elsewhere.
• Podcasting thrives both locally and globally. On a local level, over 50% of AudioUK member businesses are outside of London, creating jobs, providing training, and platforming local stories and voices.
• Podcasting and audio is a key UK export. Shows including The Rest Is Politics, The Rest Is History, Traitors: Uncloaked, Kill List and The Magnus Archives reach billions of listeners worldwide, and have proven their influence on a global scale.

We are urging the Government to take the following steps to recognise and support podcasting and audio as a key part of the UK’s creative future:

• Formally recognise podcasting and audio as part of the Creative Industries.
• Include a seat for a podcasting and audio representative on the Creative Industries Council, not just at sub-group level.
• Introduce targeted support, including a Tax Relief, and Global IP Fund, to fuel growth and investment, nationally and internationally.
• Commission a workforce and economic impact study of the podcast and audio sector as specified in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.
• Ensure future strategic plans fully incorporate the potential of podcasting and audio across skills, exports and regional development.

The UK’s podcasting and audio industry is bold, creative, and ready to scale even further. With the right policy frameworks and targeted investment, we can unlock exceptional growth, drive exports, maintain and strengthen our position as a global cultural leader, and expand a vibrant, diverse workforce across the UK.

We are hoping that you will lend your support to this campaign by signing our Open Letter – https://form.typeform.com/to/WrReY2mF – which outlines the above concerns about how podcasting and audio is supported.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this important issue. We look forward to your response and hope you will join the growing number of MPs backing this vital cause.