New Page — CRAFT

01 — Government · Parliament

The long game begins

01

2022 onwards

An estimated 1,000+ engagements — meetings, conferences, Westminster letters, PMQs, Business Questions, emails, calls and sector communications — spanning local councillors, MPs, peers, secretaries of state, the Prime Minister, UKRI, AHRC, Innovate UK, Arts Council England, unions, sector bodies and professionals across arts, technology, culture, healthcare and business.

The 2025–2026 milestones were the result of sustained, multi-year work — not isolated meetings or one-off political moments.

02 — Research

UKRI, AHRC & Innovate UK take the meeting

02

6 Nov 2023

Following Will Drury's 16 Oct 2023 email proposing a discussion, Lu Jackson meets Will Drury (Executive Director of Digital and Technologies, Innovate UK) and Professor Christopher Smith (Executive Chair, AHRC) for a "UKRI Creative Industries & Comedy Discussion" — comedy's position within the creative industries, funding and institutional support.

Comedy's exclusion from creative industries policy, funding and national structures was being raised directly with senior UKRI / AHRC / Innovate UK figures from 2023.

03 — Parliament

Pivotal political connections

03

Q1 2024

Lu meets Jo Gideon MP at a tech entrepreneurs event. Gideon facilitates correspondence and a reply from Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer MP after a year of failed communications with other MPs. Lu also connects with Cllr Rachel Blake and Dr Simon Opher — both later elected as MPs in July 2024.

The turning point where comedy begins moving into serious parliamentary and Government channels.

04 — Research

Comedy, AI and IP put on the record

04

6 Feb 2024

Following Government investment in AI R&D and regulation, Lu writes to Professor Christopher Smith and Will Drury raising AI misuse, copyright, likeness rights, the IP Working Group, comedy's absence from the Creative Industries Council, ACE frameworks, DCMS reports and UKRI funding.

Positions comedy as an AI, IP, creative rights and responsible technology issue — well before the 2025–2026 parliamentary momentum.

05 — Health · Parliament · Press

Comedy-on-Prescription hits the Commons

05 ★ A first

16 Jan 2025

Raised in the House of Commons — Dr Simon Opher MP announces Comedy-on-Prescription after engaging with Craic Health's work, having attended a Comedy-on-Prescription event with the Lord Mayor of Westminster and joined a comedy industry talent panel as a guest.
The press follows — major UK and international coverage across print, broadcast, streaming and digital.

Comedy-on-Prescription moves from community innovation into the parliamentary record and the national healthcare strategy conversation — with significant public interest and media validation.

06 — Evidence

State of the UK Comedy Industry 2025 Survey

06

4 Mar 2025

Built from years of research and designed to inform industry, Government and institutional discussions, with comedy industry and MP feedback and advice. Geoff Rowe, the LCA and the Centre for Comedy Studies had review access from April 2024.

Creates the evidence base for CRAFT, Government discussions and comedy policy asks.

07 — Government · Health · Funding

Comedy's first day in Whitehall

07 ★ A first

13 Mar 2025

First DCMS ministerial meeting between comedy and UK Government — Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant, Dr Simon Opher MP, teams and Lu Jackson. Sir Chris agrees in principle to a future comedy ministerial roundtable; weekly contact is established between Lu and DCMS civil servants.
First comedy healthcare roundtable in Parliament — co-hosted by Dr Simon Opher MP and Lu Jackson, with MPs, DCMS, NASP, One Westminster, Westminster Libraries and organisations across arts, technology, culture and healthcare.
DCMS introduces ACE's Director of Theatre — opening the route into Arts Council England engagement.

The first formal DCMS ministerial engagement secured for comedy — positioning it as both a creative industry and a public health intervention, and opening the door to Arts Council England.

08 — Parliament

Samantha Niblett MP agrees to debate comedy

08

21 May 2025

Lu meets Samantha Niblett MP, who agrees to raise comedy in Parliament.

Creates the direct route to the June 2025 Business Question.

09 — Events

First comedy panel at the inaugural SXSW London

09 ★ A first

4 Jun 2025

Co-hosted by Dr Simon Opher MP and Lu Jackson, with Tom Walker / Jonathan Pie and Jack Gamble, CEO of Campaign for the Arts.

Gives the comedy campaign cultural, industry and public platform credibility.

10 — Parliament

Comedy gets its Business Question

10

10 Jun 2025

Samantha Niblett MP raises Lu's campaign in the House of Commons: comedy is economically under-leveraged and excluded from arts funding, Government reports and the Creative Industries Council. She asks for parliamentary time to debate comedy and calls for comedy to be available on the NHS. Lucy Powell responds that Government will do everything to support it.

Puts comedy's structural exclusion, economic value and health potential into the parliamentary record.

11 — Parliament · Health

Comedy-on-Prescription goes to the PM

11

11 Jun 2025

Dr Simon Opher MP raises Comedy-on-Prescription as a Prime Minister's Question to Keir Starmer.

Escalates Comedy-on-Prescription to the very top of Government.

12 — Funding · Evidence

The Arts Council England push begins

12

17 Jun 2025 onwards

ACE Director of Theatre meetings begin — Neil Darlison opens meetings with Lu Jackson; further meetings include Lu/DCMS and Carly Smallman as comedian and Comedy-on-Prescription provider.
Major reports submitted to ACE — the case for comedy as an artform, a definition of comedy with input from the BBC and Professor Olly Double, and a state-of-the-industry funding and support overview.
Arts Council Review route pursued — Baroness Margaret Hodge, ACE, DCMS and MPs are sent comedy reports by Lu; Samantha Niblett meets the ACE CEO and makes the case for comedy.

Begins sustained ACE engagement, builds the evidence base for ACE recognition and support, and applies parallel pressure through ACE, MPs and the formal Arts Council Review process.

13 — Parliament

Into the select committees

13

18 Jun 2025

Lu emails the DCMS Committee and MPs following the "State of Play Comedy" session.

Extends the campaign into select committee structures.

14 — Parliament · Research

Committee response & the first AHRC meeting

14 ★ A first

4 Aug 2025

DCMS Committee responds to the Culture Minister — regarding "State of Play Comedy", showing formal committee-level engagement with comedy policy issues.
First AHRC meeting — Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Chair of AHRC, meets Dr Simon Opher MP and Lu Jackson to discuss better support for comedy as an artform, funding and the wider creative industries.

Sustained escalation from early AHRC / Innovate UK correspondence into direct senior institutional engagement with AHRC and Parliament.

15 — Funding

The ask that becomes the ACE funding session

15

Sept 2025

Lu requests a specific comedy industry funding session from Neil Darlison.

Establishes the origin of the later ACE comedy funding session.

16 — Government

Conference season & a new Culture Minister

16

5 Sept – 13 Oct 2025

The UK autumn political party conference season runs through this period. Sir Chris Bryant is reshuffled on 6 Sept; Ian Murray takes over the portfolio and sends the official ministerial response back to the committee on 10 Oct.

Explains the ministerial transition — and the continuity maintained — before the October roundtable.

17 — Government · Events · Funding

First London business roundtable for comedy

17 ★ A first

14 Oct 2025

The room — co-hosted by Rachel Blake MP, Dr Simon Opher MP, Howard Dawber and Lu Jackson, with comedy industry representatives, MPs' teams, DCMS, the GLA, Westminster Council's Director of Culture, arts bodies, business leaders and others.
Lu opens and makes the case for comedy — with ACE's Director of Theatre unable to attend, Lu reads his statement, having already asked for special funding session support.
Government asks for a Top 10 priority list — and asks Lu to manage its creation from across the comedy industry.
The bridge to January — the roundtable leads to Ian Murray confirming a meeting with Samantha Niblett MP, Dr Simon Opher MP, DCMS, their teams and Lu Jackson.

Broadens comedy from health and arts policy into London business and growth strategy; Government recognises Lu / CRAFT's convening role; and a bridge is built to the second ministerial meeting.

18 — Government · CRAFT

Second ministerial meeting — Minister backs CRAFT

18

13 Jan 2026

Culture Minister Ian Murray, Samantha Niblett MP, Dr Simon Opher MP, DCMS, teams and Lu Jackson attend. Ian agrees to the industry roundtable — described as a year-in-the-making meeting to bring together all areas of comedy.

Confirms the ministerial roundtable and Government continuation under a new Culture Minister — ministerial endorsement secured eight weeks before CRAFT's public launch.

19 — Parliament

Kim Leadbeater MP backs Misogyny in Comedy

19

4 Feb 2026

Kim Leadbeater agrees to Lu Jackson's campaign. Previous requests for a similar inquiry in 2022–2023 had not progressed.

Opens the route to the first parliamentary inquiry into the comedy industry.

20 — Research · Parliament

UKRI asked to make comedy a category

20

5 Feb 2026

Samantha Niblett MP, on the DSIT Committee, asks the UKRI CEO to include comedy as a standard category on UKRI funding portals.

Turns a CRAFT policy ask into a formal parliamentary committee intervention.

21 — CRAFT

CRAFT launches

21 ★ A first

5 Mar 2026

CRAFT launches as the first national body for comedy covering the entire industry.

Creates the sector-wide body Government had been asking for.

22 — Government · Funding · CRAFT

First ministerial roundtable for comedy

22 ★ A first

9 Mar 2026

The room — Culture Minister Ian Murray, Samantha Niblett MP, Dr Simon Opher MP, ACE, comedy industry representatives, DCMS and MPs' teams. Campaign led by Dr Simon Opher MP and Lu Jackson, following the March 2025 agreement with Sir Chris Bryant.
Lu opens as CRAFT Chair — her first speech in the role, making formal requests to Government.
Formal ask: impact assessment — of comedy's economic, cultural, social and creative health value, including AI's impact on jobs and entry routes.
Formal ask: recognition — comedy formally recognised in creative industry structures: the Creative Industries Council, funding categories, reports, consultations and Arts Councils frameworks.
ACE agrees — to support a special funding session for comedy.

Delivers the year-long campaign objective — a formal Government–industry roundtable — positions CRAFT as the serious policy voice for comedy, frames comedy as an economic, cultural, health and AI-era policy issue, makes the central structural ask that comedy must stop being omitted, and converts advocacy into practical funding access support.

23 — Parliament · CRAFT · Evidence

The Misogyny in Comedy inquiry begins

23 ★ A first

15 Apr 2026

CRAFT survey launches — an official survey to gather evidence for the Women & Equalities Committee inquiry, with Committee approval.
Session 1 — the first session of the Misogyny in Comedy inquiry takes place.

The first parliamentary inquiry into the comedy industry begins — with a direct evidence-gathering mechanism from the sector.

24 — Health · Events

First Podcast-on-Prescription in Parliament

24 ★ A first

22 Apr 2026

The project — a men's creative healthcare project co-produced by Dr Simon Opher MP, Lu Jackson, Brimscombe Mill and the NHS. Initial attendees include Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Health Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed MP.
Panels & follow-up — panels include Tom Findlay / Groove Armada and Tom Walker / Jonathan Pie; an interview with Andy Burnham MP follows the next day, with further ministerial commitments to join.

Extends the Comedy-on-Prescription model into broader creative health and men's health policy — building public, cultural and political momentum.

25 — Parliament · CRAFT

Lu gives oral evidence

25

28 Apr 2026

Lu Jackson gives oral evidence at Session 2 of the Women & Equalities Committee inquiry.

Places CRAFT directly into parliamentary evidence on misogyny in comedy.

26 — Funding · CRAFT · Evidence

ACE funding session survey launches

26

1 May 2026

CRAFT launches the Arts Council England funding session survey.

Prepares evidence and sector input for the ACE comedy funding session.

27 — Funding

The ACE comedy funding session happens

27

28 May 2026

The session takes place live and recorded — following Lu's September 2025 request to Neil Darlison and sustained engagement with ACE over the preceding year.

A clear institutional outcome from Lu's sustained ACE relationship: advocacy converted into practical funding-access support for the comedy industry.

28 — Events · Government

Back at SXSW London — with the Culture Minister

28

2 Jun 2026

Panel with Dr Simon Opher MP, Culture Minister Ian Murray, Lu Jackson and guests.

A further public platform showing comedy's policy, health and Government relevance.

★ — What's next

To be continued…

★

2026–2027

Further events with Government and key institutions are confirmed and to be announced. Be the first to hear what happens next — sign up to the CRAFT newsletter.

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From punchlines to policy

Laying the groundwork