Government calls for stars’ help on post-Brexit EU touring

Stars like Sir Elton John should help the government persuade European Union countries to relax their rules on letting British musicians tour, Brexit minister Lord Frost has said.

British acts are no longer guaranteed visa-free travel in the EU and face large fees to tour in some countries.

Many, including Sir Elton, have warned the restrictions could "threaten the future success of British music".

Lord Frost said the government would benefit from their assistance.

He said it would be "extremely helpful" if musicians and music industry bodies could "use their relationships" within the EU "to encourage those governments to be less restrictive".

"I said that to Elton John and I will say it to others," he told a committee of MPs on Tuesday. "We need that sort of help and support, and I'm convinced it would make a big difference to help improve the situation."

Lord Frost was speaking to the House of Commons culture select committee, who had called him to give evidence on post-Brexit visa arrangements for workers in the creative industries.

Labour MP Clive Efford poured scorn on his suggestion, asking whether the government's policy boiled down to "getting ambassadors to lobby [foreign governments] and asking Elton John to get his mates to ring people up?"

"I wouldn't be so dismissive of such activity," replied Lord Frost. "That is how you make things happen in diplomacy."

In May, Sir Elton met Lord Frost to discuss the touring issue. Writing on Instagram, the pop legend said he had been told resolving the problem would be "a long process".

"Unfortunately our industry doesn't have time. It is dying now," he said. "We are currently in grave danger of losing a generation of talent due to the gaping holes in the government's trade deal."

On Tuesday, Lord Frost pointed out that Sir Elton had not needed the freedoms afforded by the EU to make it big in the early 1970s.

"I can't help noticing that he had his first hits before the UK even became a member of the European Union, so I think there's probably more at play here than pure rules applying within the then-European Community," he said.

"Talent is important, and that's why we support our talented industries."

He told MPs it was "impossible to be sure" whether the situation would improve soon "because so much depends on the course of the pandemic".

However, he added that resolving the visa issues was "a major priority for us and we hope to be able to deliver some results during this year".

Culture minister Caroline Dinenage added that visa-free touring is now possible in 17 EU countries, although MPs on the committee suggested the situation was not so simple - with each of those countries having individual rules.

The hearing came days after hundreds of musicians, including Radiohead, Little Mix, Wolf Alice, Niall Horan and Kano backed the Let the Music Move campaign, which is calling on the government to provide financial help and action on cutting red tape in the EU.

Responding to Lord Frost's appearance, the group said it felt like the UK's "world-beating music industry is being hung out to dry".

"While we continue to suffer the catastrophic impacts of Covid, many are now in open despair at the government's disturbing lack of urgency to address a range of Brexit-related bureaucracy and costs that will make EU touring almost prohibitively expensive and burdensome," it said in a statement.

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