Government promises stronger voice for Milton Keynes' thriving community of YouTube digital creators
Top local YouTube stars such as English with Lucy and Cyclito have been pledged more government support.
They, along with a host of other digital creators from MK are to be given a stronger voice in Westminster, thanks to a new cross-party forum, co-chaired by former Digital Ministers Feryal Clark MP and Lord Ed Vaizey.
The forum was established following feedback from over 10,000 UK creators who highlighted significant barriers to growth in the digital economy.
Chris Curtis, MP for Milton Keynes North, will take on an Officer role in the APPG, bringing valuable economic growth expertise to support the creator sector.
Milton Keynes has become a hub for content creation, with English teacher Lucy Earl building a global following through her language learning channel English with Lucy, while cycling content creator Cyclito has carved out a successful niche in the fitness and lifestyle space.
The creator economy now contributes over £2.2 billion to the UK economy and supports more than 45,000 jobs, yet creators across Milton Keynes and the wider UK face challenges, including limited access to skills training, funding opportunities, and suitable studio spaces. Many also struggle with complex filming permit processes that can stifle creativity and business growth.
With Chris Curti as an Officer, Milton Keynes creators will have direct representation in the group's leadership structure.
The Parliamentary group, run by the Digital Creator Association and Influencer Marketing Trade Body with support from YouTube, will work to address these challenges through regular dialogue between creators, platforms, and government representatives. This could mean improved support for Milton Keynes-based creators looking to expand their operations, access professional development opportunities, or secure filming locations across Buckinghamshire.
For creators like those based in Milton Keynes' growing digital sector, the APPG represents a crucial step toward greater recognition and support from policymakers who may not fully understand the modern creator economy's potential and challenges.
The group will focus on improving filming infrastructure, expanding skills and training programmes, and ensuring creators have proper representation in government consultations that affect their industry.
Alison Lomax, Managing Director for YouTube UK & Ireland, said: “Creators are a growth engine for the UK. They’re building businesses, attracting global audiences, and exporting UK culture around the world. Without targeted support for this critical creative sector, we risk undermining a key source of future growth and revenue for this country’s £115bn creative industries.”
Chris Curtis said: “Here in Milton Keynes, we’ve seen how innovation and creativity can drive growth, attract investment, and create opportunities for local people. The creator economy is a perfect example of that, already contributing billions to the UK economy and supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
This APPG will ensure that policymakers in Westminster properly recognise creators as the entrepreneurs they are, building businesses, exporting British culture around the world, and generating real value here at home. For communities like Milton Keynes, the creator growth story is about more than culture: it’s about jobs, innovation, and building the industries of the future.
Through this group, we’ll focus on breaking down the barriers that hold creators back and making sure their full potential can be unlocked, for the benefit of local communities, and for the country as a whole.”