The Bookseller - News - Labour landslide: put 'profound challenges' of AI and intellectual property rights high up on agenda, author bodies urge new government

Author bodies have urged the new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to put the "existential threats" to publishing back on the agenda in pursuit of a "fairer deal" for authors amid the "profound challenges" posed by Artificial Intelligence and poor pay.

Labour achieved a landslide win in yesterday's general election, with Sir Keir Starmer due to enter Number 10 Downing Street for his first term in office.

The Society of AuthorsThe British authors’ organization, with a membership of over 7,000 writers. Membership is open to those who have had a book published, or who have an offer to publish (without subsidy by the author). Offers individual specialist advice and a range of publications to its members. Has also campaigned successfully on behalf of authors in general for improved terms and established a minimum terms agreement with many publishers. Recently campaigned to get the Public Lending Right fund increased from £5 million to £7 million for the year 2002/2003. Regularly uses input from members to produce comparative surveys of publishers’ royalty payment systems. http://www.societyofauthors.org/' chief executive Anna Ganley heralded the new era, but urged the new government to "to waste no time in getting these issues back on the agenda".

Ganley said: "We are keen to resume the important work of securing government support for a fairer deal for authors, and look forward to working with the new ministers and their teams."