General Election 2019: trade figures react to Tory victory

Publishing insiders have called for the trade "to get on the front foot" and "tirelessly" lobby Boris Johnson's new government, in the wake of last night's historic election which saw the Conservatives win their biggest majority since 1987.

Faber c.e.o. Stephen Page, Bluemoose Books founder Kevin Duffy and Stephen Lotinga, c.e.o. of the Publishers Association (PA) were among those reacting to the general election result, which saw many Labour strongholds decimated with Jeremy Corbyn declaring he will not fight another election as Labour leader.

This morning (Friday 13th December), the Tories secured a historic Commons majority of 78 with 364 MPs led by Boris Johnson, Labour have 203 MPs, the SNP 48, Liberal Democrats 11 and the DUP eight, according to the BBC, with one seat left to be declared.

Concerns over Brexit continue, echoing the results of The Bookseller’s survey last month which saw more than two-thirds of 159 respondents say they would be turning out for either Labour or the Liberal Democrats, and saw Brexit inform the vote of three-quarters of respondents. 

"The industry needs to get onto the front foot, alongside other creative industries, and persuade this government to take seriously its fastest growing sector, and in post-Brexit negotiations to ensure that copyright is strongly supported and that there are as few barriers to trade as possible,” Page told The Bookseller. “This has also been a worrying time for democracy and the truth, and as an industry we have to be on the right side of the truth and stand with the writers we publish to assert standards that support freedom of expression and adherence to standards that have been blatantly ignored and undermined in recent times."

The Society of Authors c.e.o. Nicola Solomon said: "Yesterday’s decisive result will bring a degree of certainty to the political landscape for the first time since 2016, but that won’t necessarily deliver certainty or security to creators and the creative industries. We will work with the new government and will remain tireless in raising issues that affect our members and in trying to protect the wider cultural landscape. The government now has the mandate it wanted to push us far from Europe, and a majority in Parliament to back that – so we need to keep at the forefront of their negotiations that our gold standard copyright system cannot be weakened as a bargaining counter in new trade deals.

"We also need to take steps to make arrangements with Europe to ensure that we can still sell into these key markets, attract talent and essential workers, and allow free movement of performers and translators and cultural dialogue. Amongst other things we must open discussions urgently about what that means for enacting the European Copyright Directive into UK law.

"We must not forget Scotland and the island of Ireland. Each have demonstrated that they do not wish to leave the EU. Their wishes should be respected and no additional barriers should be erected to affect the thriving and vibrant publishing industries and cultural landscapes in those two nations.

She added, of the trade's efforts to see VAT scrapped for e-books: "Finally, there is no bar to now Axe the Reading Tax. This simple measure has wide all party support and should be effected as soon as possible."

Alan Bishop, c.e.o. of the Creative Industries Federation, said in a statement following the result that Brexit must not deter talented international workers. “The Conservative majority means that we will likely be leaving the EU at the end of January, with the Withdrawal Agreement re-introduced to the Commons next week. However, leaving the EU is only a first step, and the coming months will see the working through of a huge amount of crucial detail.

“The federation will continue to work tirelessly with government to ensure that they act on the areas that matter most to the UK’s creative industries and our country’s emerging talent.

Bishop added: “The future shape of the UK’s immigration system is clearly of immediate and urgent priority. As we approach a now-imminent Brexit, it is crucial that we continue to attract the diverse global talent that has been so central to our success. The sector’s success relies on being able both to attract skilled and talented workers from across the globe and send our own creative people and exports around the world. “

Duffy lamented the result in a short but strongly-worded statement. “Devastated that our nation seems happy to cut itself adrift. Commissioning a Tory "Billy Elliot", a young lad who runs away from his parents in London to dance in the ex coalfields of Durham,” he told The Bookseller.

Sam Jordison, co-founder of Galley Beggar Press, is also concerned by the result. "My thoughts are that this is a disaster," he said. "For our country and for our industry. I am terrified for our future. Our margins are small and the difficulties of trading that we are going to face might well be insurmountable. Not to mention the ill-will that will be generated around the world by our new nativist government of liars and crooks.

"Looking for crumbs of consolation, there is now an opportunity for publishers to fight and help make things better. We need people who tell the truth and who stand up for what is right more than ever. Brexit is going to ruin is financially - but let's not let it take our souls as well."

Meanwhile Stephen Lotinga, c.e.o. of the Publishers Association, revealed a pragmatic approach to working with the new intake of politicians, whilst still echoing concerns over Brexit. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Government on the key priorities of the UK publishing industry. Many returning Ministers and MPs will be familiar with our needs, but there will of course be a large number of new MPs who will have to be brought up to speed as soon as possible. The UK publishing industry needs the maximum possible access to Europe—which is our single largest export market—and we will be continuing to make this case to the new government as their Brexit plans progress.”

Meryl Halls, m.d. of the Booksellers Association, said: “While the book trade as a whole is clearly going to be disappointed in the outcome of the general election, and while most booksellers - like most businesses - are extremely wary of the impact Brexit will have on the economy and our fragile high streets - it’s undoubtedly now the case that we have to work with the new government to create the best possible situation for UK bookselling and UK retail. Working on business rates reform, online anti competitiveness and high street regeneration continue to top our priority action list - and we must take the conservative government at their word when they tell us they have a commitment to those areas. Brexit‘s next stages will provide us all with a bumpy ride, there’s no doubt, and we’ll be working with our Irish members very closely to make sure their concerns are heard. " She added: "Short term, perhaps a distracting Christmas shopping spree will be on the cards for weary consumers.”

Many of the trade voiced their concerns on Twitter. Author Philip Pullman said: "If you give people a lousy choice, they'll choose something lousy. Nothing was more predictable."

Dialogue Books founder Sharmaine Lovegrove

: “Corbyn just resigned and a new era will begin. What a night. Friday the 13th is legit a nightmare.”

Author and literary salon host Damian Barr said. “As a gay man—one of Boris’s ‘tank-topped bumboys—I genuinely fear that I’ll wake up tomorrow in a country where my rights and freedoms are once again up for debate. And soon there may be no Europe to save me.”

Novelist and writing tutor Livia Franchini tweeted: “On a personal note I think the universe is sending me very precise signals it is truly time for me to leave this country.”

But author Pete Newborn tweeted: "I’m in tears. Tears of relief because the country has rejected a vile antisemite and his party of racists, misogynists, conspiracists, and cheerleaders for murderous dictatorship. Tears of rage and despair because the Tories have absolute hegemony. Damn your souls, Labour Left."

"Libraries are incredible, organisations that do life-changing work every day," CILIP c.e.o.

said of the result in a lengthy statement on Twitter. "Too many of them have seen damaging cuts since 2010. We can't allow the next Parliament to be more of the same. We at CILIP will go to work on the Johnson government to argue for change." He went on: "The 2019 general election has seen a shocking assault on the standards of evidence and accuracy in public life. We must continue to re-make the case that #FactsMatter and to hold the government to account for their use of misinformation."

He concluded: "Most of all let's not forget the immense potential for the library and information profession to help build a positive future. Our communities and our economy need us more than ever."

Curtis Brown agent Jonny Geller mimicked Richard Curtis’ well-known festive film "Love Actually", by twitter.com/JonnyGeller/status/1205264310693453826">tweeting: “F****d, Actually.#ExitPolls.”