Labour â??failing to careâ?? about the game industry

The Conservative Party this afternoon launched its biggest attack yet on the Government for its treatment of the UK games industry.

Speaking at London Games Conference at BAFTA, Shadow Culture Minister Ed Vaizey told a packed room that a Tory Government would extend the remit of the Film Council to cover the video games sector – to give the industry the “voice it deserves”.

He slammed Labour Ministers for “failing to care” that the UK industry – particularly the development sector – was falling behind other nations in terms of economic generation.

Vaizey cited research from NESTA which suggested the UK video games sector could shrink by 16.5 per cent over five years, resulting in the loss of more than £180m in external investment and nearly 1,700 jobs.

“As in so many other areas, Labour ministers simply do not seem to care that we are falling behind our competitors in a critically important economic growth area,” Vaizey told the crowd.

“Gordon Brown’s economic mismanagement means the UK Government simply has not had the fiscal headroom to offer the kind of support that has been available in some other countries. But just because they cannot offer tax breaks, does not excuse them actively doing down the industry.

The full story can be found at MCV