“I Will Not Be Fighting Culture Wars”: UK Shadow Culture Secretary Seeks To Draw Dividing Line Between Labour & Conservatives As She Sets Out Stall On AI, BBC & Freelancers

deadline.com:

The UK Labour Party has set out its plan for the film and TV industries, drawing a dividing line between itself and the ruling Conservatives as it slams the government for “getting themselves all tied up in culture wars of their own making and failing to support a pipeline of talent.” Delivering her first major set-piece at the Creative Cities Convention, Shadow Culture Secretary Thangam Debbonaire said she will “not be fighting culture wars” but instead will focus on arts and culture being central to Labour’s “Phase One” plan if it gets into office.

Her boss, Labour leader Keir Starmer, is plotting “a decade of national renewal in Britain.” The election is expected later this year and Labour is currently sitting around 20 points ahead of the Conservatives in the polls.

Debbonaire set out Labour’s position in thorny areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), the BBC and the ailing freelance workforce.

On the former, she revealed Labour will seek to strike trade deals with other countries in order to “maintain and promote the UK’s strong copyright regime.” Addressing the debate, she said “Labour believes both in human-centred creativity and the potential of AI to unlock new creative frontiers,” as she branded copyright and IP the “bedrock of our successful creative industries.” “It is the way that we protect the raw materials of the creative industries – the creative output and imagination,” she added. “Getting this right will be good for the screen sector as a whole, as well as individual creatives, to protect the films and shows you’re invested in.” Addressing AI came at a good time for Labour, with producer trade body Pact and the British actors union yesterday criticizing the Conservatives for “kicking the can