WGGB members from across the UK joined us for our 2025 AGM today (12 September), which took place online for the sixth year running.
Opening the meeting, WGGB Chair Emma Reeves thanked “all our members for their commitment to the Guild” and to those who had come to the AGM today – a chance to reflect on “who we are, where we are and where we are going”.
Reeves outlined the challenging times writers were working under, with severe cuts to audio drama, TV commissioning, literary departments and more, the overreach of the state in terms of freedom of expression and the sinister threat posed by AI.
But she highlighted numerous WGGB campaigns, wins and other activity over the last year in rising to these challenges and the vital role of our “hard-working and brilliant representatives”, all professional writers, giving generously of their time to the WGGB as volunteers.
She also took hope in the solidarity and collective action of writers, the fact that it is only writers (and not AI), who can “make the work that inspires and engages audiences” and she said that we will “keep on fighting”, encouraging all members to get more involved in their union. “We’re a campaigning union and it is vital everyone makes their voices heard,” she said. “Our greatest asset is our solidarity.”
She thanked outgoing WGGB President Sandi Toksvig OBE, who stands down this year as she comes to the end of her maximum term under union rules.
Addressing the AGM, Toksvig recalled her early experiences of joining a trade union and the importance of standing up for each other. She said that “despite so much talk of AI taking over … I have faith – only writers can produce true nuance and frame the world in a way that makes it more accessible”. She added that “it has been one of the great privileges of my life to be President of the Writers’ Guild, spending time with many of the members and seeing at first hand the amazing work done”, and reiterated that while she was stepping down, it was not goodbye – “I am ever at your service”.
In her General Secretary’s report, Ellie Peers spoke about the importance of WGGB collective agreements, a “key form of resistance to detrimental writers’ contracts”, and reported on numerous wins made on that front since the last AGM. This included a new TAC agreement for Welsh-language independent producers, new digital clauses in both the ITC and UK Theatre agreements, good progress on renegotiating the Pact film and screenwriting credits agreements and uplifts to minimum fees, including a 24% rise for playwrights under the ITC agreement. She confessed however that it “had not all been plain sailing”, as WGGB negotiators have had to “strongly resist poor practice and poor contracts that include morality clauses.”
“We have no issue with clauses in writers’ contracts that state that writers will work within the law. Clauses on morality, reputational damage and adherence to social norms are subjective, encourage self-censorship and discourage creative freedom of expression and we will continue to resist their inclusion.”
She reported back on the joint union campaign to Save Audio Drama at the BBC, and the BBC’s subsequent announcement of a new 90-minute audio drama slot, WGGB’s extensive work around protecting writers and AI and the union’s response to cuts to continuing drama and the crisis in the TV industry.
She closed by outlining the many ways members could get involved in the WGGB, including via regional branches, our Equality & Diversity work, attending TUC conferences, supporting campaigns or “simply participating in the democratic process of our union as you are doing today”.
Results of recent WGGB elections were announced, including the post of President, which sees Jack Thorne take on the role from outgoing President Sandi Toksvig OBE (read the announcement here).
Thorne, who is currently in Los Angeles for the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards (where he is nominated in the Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category for Adolescence), spoke by video to the AGM, saying how honoured he was to be part of the WGGB. He said that “I know it has not been an easy few years and I know that the recession in global TV, combined with conservatism in commissioning has meant that many have felt shut out”, adding that “the vultures are gathering” in terms of threats to writers’ copyright and that “we are about to be in the fight of our lives”. He highlighted the need to work with Government, broadcasters and others to resolve these issues, adding he felt confident that WGGB would “find a way” and lead us through these difficult times.
The full list of Executive Council members, including newly elected representatives, can be found on our website.
The following vacancies still exist and if members are interested in standing, they will shortly be sent an email with further details:
- Comedy
- East Midlands
- West Midlands
- South West
- South East
- Yorkshire
Five motions were debated – you can read the text of each motion and find out the results of the voting here.
Reports were presented by WGGB Craft, National and Regional reps and Officers (you can read all these in the annual report).