A German punk rock band that was refused entry to the UK because of “opaque and confusing” post-Brexit rules may have been turned away at the border because they are not full-time professional musicians and have day jobs, the Guardian has learned.
Trigger Cut, a three-piece from Stuttgart, should have been on a seven-date tour of the UK this week, but were refused entry by UK border guards at Calais last Thursday.
Blaming “the Tories’ mess over Brexit”, Labour said such experiences not only penalised up-and-coming bands, but damaged UK music venues, which are already in “dire straits”.
The UK-based music agent Ian Smith, who has been helping the band understand why they were turned away, said that although their paperwork was in order, they were refused entry after telling the border officer that they had other jobs back in Germany.
“Like many small bands, they said they all had other jobs to pay the rent – one of them is a landscape gardener – and that they did not earn much money from music,” said Smith, who co-founded Carry On Touring and ukeartswork.info, which campaigns to help artists work in the EU and UK.
He said Trigger Cut were planning to enter the UK on the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) exemption route, which allows artists to tour the UK for up to a month without a visa.
But amid the small print is the proviso that anyone coming into the UK using PPE “cannot do paid work unrelated to your main overseas job or area of expertise”.
Border guards are allowed to check not only that artists have invitations from a UK-based organisation or client – which Trigger Cut had from all seven venues –but also that “the paid engagement relates to your expertise, qualifications and main job”.
Smith said the border guard also wrongly told the band that they needed a “certificate of sponsorship” (COS) from each venue that they were due to play.
“There is no clarity from the government on what artists need to provide in order to play the UK. The rules are opaque and confusing, even if English is your first language. The clause about not being allowed to do paid work unless it is related to your main overseas job will penalise so many artists who have to do other jobs to pay the rent,” said Smith, who said Trigger Cut’s experience might deter other foreign bands from playing in the UK.
Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, said: “UK music venues are in dire straits, with the Tory cost of living crisis hitting audiences and soaring energy bills making it harder to keep the lights on. Yet instead of supporting venues to attract new talent, the Tories’ mess over Brexit touring means musicians are being turned away at the border.
“The work musicians, performers, technicians and writers do is a huge part of our economy and local high streets. Labour would make Brexit work by negotiating an EU-wide touring agreement so that musicians and artists can tour the UK and EU.”
Steve Richard, an immigration consultant who has been helping major record labels bring artists to the UK for more than 30 years, said it was “counterproductive” for UK border agents to refuse Trigger Cut entry. “A German band coming here to play a few [gigs] doesn’t take anyone here’s job away. What was the benefit to the UK of not letting them in? None.”
He said one in 10 bands coming via PPE gets asked if they are professionals, but it is rare for them to be turned away as a result.
A bigger problem, he said, was bands from all over the world deciding it was “too much faff” to visit the UK on their European tours. This, he said, is largely because of the cost and hassle of getting a “carnet”, an international customs document required when entering the UK that allows the temporary importation of equipment or goods for events.
After news emerged that the band had been denied access to the UK, a government spokesperson said: “Musicians and performers are a valued and important part of UK culture, with the country attracting world-class entertainers and musicians from around the globe. This is why we offer a dedicated immigration route for creative workers.
“All visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the immigration rules. The application process is designed to ensure that all visa decisions can be made using the most accurate information and is fair for all applicants.”
