Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on changes to planning regulations around music venues, said:

“This is great news for music venues, artists and music lovers, and a victory for everyone who has campaigned to protect live music. John Spellar deserves huge credit for bringing his private members’ bill forward and building such a broad coalition of support. The campaign mobilised the whole of the UK’s music industry to call for change – and it won.

“I’m delighted that this policy from Labour’s 2017 manifesto is being accepted by the Government. We must now all make sure that the commitments made today are carried forward as promised by Ministers, so that new building developments take the needs of existing music venues into account.”