Indies echo Livingstone's call for UKIE/TIGA unity

"TIGA was built on a bedrock of serving game developers, and that's a key thing that TIGA has got to be about. Publishers are obviously welcome to join TIGA's ranks, which is good, but serving the interest of the development community is absolutely critical. We can't afford to lose focus on that, that's where our energies lie."

But a merger is not something which Wilson thinks is in the best interests of his members, nor the industry as a whole - although occasional co-operation between the bodies is something which he will endorse.

"We're pleased with the space that we're in. We're always happy to speak to our friends over at UKIE, and from time to time I'm sure we will do things together. I think that's almost certainly going to be on an ad-hoc basis, rather than anything else.

"What I would say is that, if you look at the evidence, over 80 per cent of mergers, and indeed acquisitions, fail. They break down, they don't deal with value for customers. Now, I know we're talking about trade associations here, but the principle does remain the same. When you try to bring different organisations together, from very backgrounds and culture, different people in those organisations, you can never guarantee that it's going to be an overwhelming success. Indeed, if you look at the evidence it shows that most of them break down."

Faced with the argument that the somewhat fractured and inconsistent position which the industry currently presents to parliament is causing it to be ignored, Wilson maintained that a unilateral position is not an effective way to achieve progress.

"There seems to be this implicit feeling that a monopoly viewpoint, or a monopoly voice, is the way to get progress. Well, I don't think the people in Egypt would agree with that. It's quite clear that progress is normally driven forward by competition and choice. It's a very good point to bear in mind. Everyone has to stand back I think and think to themselves, what is the point of having a single voice - even if that could be achieved? What is the point of having that single voice, if it doesn't say anything worthwhile?"

UKIE director general Michael Rawlinson is on annual leave, and as such was unavailable to comment, but representatives of the organisation, including director of corporate communications Dan Wood, refused to be drawn into the debate, offering a stance of "no comment".