The annual Christmas Party of the Performers’ Alliance All-Party Parliamentary Group took place in the Strangers’ Dining Room in the House of Commons this afternoon. The Alliance consists of the Musicians’ Union, Equity and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, and the event gives the organisations the opportunity to discuss contemporary arts issues with the MPs and Lords in attendance.
The Parliamentary Group is currently chaired by Alison McGovern MP, who introduced a series of speakers including Deputy leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, and General Secretary of the MU, Horace Trubridge. I was pleased to welcome a number of musicians who I had invited in recent weeks, including the effervescent King G Mall of the Dhol Blasters, supreme drummer Ralph Salmins, jazz pianist Sam Leak, Show of Hand’s frontman Steve Knightley, plus bassist Chris Clark of Hunter and the Bear who was accompanied Libby Maguire of LD Communications.
The MU contingent retired at the end of the Party to the Westminster Arms, where Rick Finlay, Dave Webster, Chris Walters, Amanda Dal held court to complete the evening.
Pictured: KA, King G Mall, Horace Trubridge, Ralph Salmins, John Thirkell.
