MP Ed Vaizey hails UKIE after tax breaks success

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey says UKIE deserves credit for securing tax breaks for UK games developers.

The MP’s comments came in response to a question about a press release from rival trade body TIGA, which took credit for securing the tax breaks.

Tax relief for UK games developers were confirmed last week after being approved by the European Commission.

It was a team effort,” said Vaizey.

I worked very closely with UKIE and my team at the DCMS. We liaised closely with the European Commission, who were very helpful at all times on this issue and were very straight with us on what they require and I didn’t feel they treated us shabbily in any way. We had a very straightforward issue with them and we worked it through.

Ian Livingstone as a champion of the games industry with Government, along with Jo Twist, are the two biggest players. In the corridors of White Hall, you are more likely to see those two, going around and seeing ministers. I think what the games industry as a whole has done with those two at the helm, and other people like Andy Payne who is fantastic, has changed the perception of games amongst the political classes. This was also a cross-party effort, the likes of Tom Watson deserve a lot of credit, Don Foster has always been a big champion for games as well. I was happiest to see the tweets which said: ‘Thanks to everyone who made this happen.’ Because there was a lot of people involved.”