Artists and other figures have publicly responded to comments made by Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage during a parliamentary debate on the petition for visa-free touring across the EU, in which she said that the EU’s proposal was not “consistent with the idea of Brexit that the majority of people in this country voted for.”

Dinenage, who is Minister of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, highlighted the EU’s counter proposal after rejecting the UK’s scheme to permit certain activities for short-term business visitors. The counter proposal, which offered a package of visa-free travel for current and future EU members across a wide range of sectors, was “just simply not consistent with the manifesto commitment to take back control of our borders,” according to Dinenage. In response, public figures both from within and outside the music industry have expressed their dismay at Dinenage’s comments. Seasoned touring musician Billy Bragg tweeted: “Maddening: Tories won’t sign up to a deal allowing UK musicians could tour the EU visa free, because it means that EU artists would be able to work visa free in the UK.”

Maddening: Tories won't sign up to a deal allowing UK musicians could tour the EU visa free, because it means that EU artists would be able to work visa free in the UK. "Not consistent with the idea of Brexit that the majority of people in this country voted for" says minister https://t.co/b2VzmcAaRk

— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) February 9, 2021

Physics professor and television personality Brian Cox also expressed his convictions via twitter: “It’s quite an admission that avoiding serious damage to the music industry and our (multi-billion pounds generating, world leading) arts and culture sectors is ‘not consistent with Brexit’.”

It’s quite an admission that avoiding serious damage to the music industry and our (multi-billion pounds generating, world leading) arts and culture sectors is ‘not consistent with Brexit’. https://t.co/doR4BaSEyh

— Brian Cox (@ProfBrianCox) February 9, 2021

As well as Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, who tweeted: “Would it be possible to have a culture Minister who actually fights for the reality of the situation facing those she should be representing, rather than defending the indefensible position which basically boils down to Brexit means Brexit. come on..you did this now make it work.”