The Society of Editors has today (Tuesday 16 September 2025) joined UK creators in calling on the Prime Minister to recognise the human rights of creators and to protect copyright. 

In an open letter to Keir Starmer, published to coincide with President Trump’s state visit, the Society joined over 70 of the UK’s leading creators and creative organisations in calling on the government to explain  its failure to protect the rights of UK copyright holders by upholding international human rights standards.

The letter, signed by creative organisations including UK Music, Pan MacMillan and Getty Images, calls on the Prime Minister to justify the
Government’s “active ignoring” of UK copyright holders’ rights. It makes clear that the Government’s current position – refusing to take steps to make existing law enforceable – risks ceding control over the UK’s creative economy and the rights of its citizens to overseas interests. The UK Government will look to finalise a tech trade agreement with the US during President Trump’s visit, with Ministers keen that AI forms a key component of any deal struck.

Also adding their voices to the letter are cultural icons including Robbie Williams, Moira Buffini, Sir Mick Jagger, Annie Lennox and Elton John. 

During the passage of the Data (Use and Access) Act, the former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle and former Creative Industries Minister Chris Bryant committed to creating a Parliamentary Working Group so that the Commons
and Lords could have greater input into policy development. This Group has yet to be constituted, and both left their roles in the recent reshuffle. Initial meetings of Industry Working Groups – bringing together creative and tech stakeholders – have taken place, but reports have criticised the lack of UK AI representation, leading to fears that British tech companies are being ignored in favour of supporting larger US-based competitors.

Baroness Beeban Kidron, who tabled amendments during the passage of the Data (Use and Access) Act that would have allowed UK creatives to assert their rights, said: “The Government have asked the creative sector to trust in their process, then they packed their Industry Working Groups with US interests, made multiple deals with AI companies who have stolen copyright material, and then Ministers left the building. Following the reshuffle, it is for the Prime Minister himself to reset the relationship between government and industry.

“If the Government cannot grasp the economic or cultural importance of this issue, perhaps this action – setting out the clear contravention of international and UK human rights law – will help clarify the seriousness of their position. It’s deeply regrettable that it has come to this, but by prioritising the short-term optics of data centre announcements and trade deals, they are knowingly undermining the foundations of the UK’s creative industries.”