Brexit

Getting clarity on what Brexit will mean for the UK audio-visual (AV) sector is, at this stage, a near impossibility. What is clear is that the past three years of Brexit politicking have been accompanied by a huge amount of contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit.

Add to that the continued strength of TV and film production in the UK, thanks largely to a skilled talent pool, UK tax breaks and significant investment from the likes of Disney, Netflix and Sky, and the consensus is that the sector is well placed to withstand any fallout from Britain leaving the EU.

This was always going to be a big year for Ofcom. Its to-do list for 2020 includes: overhauling the telecoms market and upgrading the UK’s broadband network; a major review of public service broadcasting and its future in the face of changing technology and audience habits and huge global competition; tackling both “online harm” and industry diversity issues; updating EU “audio-visual services” rules post Brexit; and, as the BBC’s regulator, trying to sharpen the corporation’s performance and decision-making.

In May 2018, the top two UK parties, as measured in opinion polls and real votes cast in elections, were Labour and the Conservatives. A year later, they had been displaced by the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats.

One man’s journey during just three of those 12 months helps to illustrate this wacky new world of UK politics. In March 2019, he left one party to help create another, which started with one name, changed to a different one and then changed back. He then joined a third party, saying that he should probably have gone with it in the first place.

Parliament is “a sick house” right now. That’s not a comment on the politics of the place but a diagnosis by Philippa Whitford MP, the Commons’ most senior medical figure. The SNP politician has a long career as a cancer surgeon behind her, and MPs aware of her medical background have been bending her ear to tell her of their anxiety issues.

Whitford says sleepless nights and persistent stress are rampant and she’s had MPs telling her of their inability to process information as a result.

Emerging from the Christmas fug of too many late nights, too much mulled wine and – at least for me – a strictly non-vegan feasting period, we all have to stare 2019 squarely in the eye, pull our socks up (a nice present that you appreciate with the passing years) and utter the dreaded word that so far has not made it into my festive games of Scrabble – Brexit.

If, like me, you were suffering from Brexit overload before the Christmas break, then the Westminster news blackout over the holiday period was a welcome respite.

The discussion will take place in Birmingham, the most evenly split city in Britain in the EU referendum, and cover a range of issues such as immigration, the economy and Northern Ireland.

As the Brexit deadline nears, many are calling for a second referendum to give the public a final say on Britain’s future relations with the EU.

The programme will present and explore Channel 4’s exclusive Survation poll on the public’s opinion on Brexit’s key issues.

Years and Years follows the Lyons, a busy Mancunian family. There’s Daniel who is getting married to Ralph, Stephen and Celeste worrying over their children, man-eater Rosie and estranged Edith. At the head of the chaotic family is Gran, the regal Muriel. When their lives all converge on one crucial night in 2019 the story is propelled into the future following the lives and loves of the Lyons over 15 years in a Britain rocked by volatile political, economic and technological advances.

Grayson Perry: What Britain Wants (working title) will follow Perry as he uses art to explore Brexiters' and Remainers' perspectives on British national identity. 

Perry believes that these are the two great tribes of our time, and wants to compare their hopes, fears and aspirations for the country.

Perry is appealing for the public to get in touch with ideas, images, phrases and photographs, with which he intends to decorate two enormous pots: one for each political camp.

As of now, Perry is accepting contributions on Facebook and Twitter.