Guild deplores videogames tax decision

Following today's budget announcements by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Writers' Guild of Great Britain has issued the following statement:

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, the trade union representing writers in television, theatre, film, radio, books and videogames, deplores the Chancellor’s decision to cancel the planned tax breaks for videogame production.

General Secretary Bernie Corbett said: 'The UK is only hurting itself by abandoning its videogames industry. We were quick off the blocks and established a world-leading industry, but we have allowed other countries to outbid us in development and tax advantages to such an extent that the UK is now experiencing a brain-drain of both technologists and creators. Videogames are seriously big business – bigger than the movies, apparently. We often bemoan our small and struggling film industry, but from the best of beginnings we look set fair to condemn our video games industry to a similar also-ran status.'

But the Writers’ Guild welcomes the news that no VAT will be imposed on printed books.