diff --git a/src/fixate/__init__.py b/src/fixate/__init__.py
index 64efbd2..c8463c6 100644
--- a/src/fixate/__init__.py
+++ b/src/fixate/__init__.py
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@
 )
 
 from fixate._ui import (
+    Validator as Validator,
+    UiColour as UiColour,
     user_input as user_input,
     user_input_float as user_input_float,
     user_serial as user_serial,
-    Validator as Validator,
     user_yes_no as user_yes_no,
     user_info as user_info,
     user_info_important as user_info_important,
diff --git a/src/fixate/_ui.py b/src/fixate/_ui.py
index 7960fe8..b6d70f8 100644
--- a/src/fixate/_ui.py
+++ b/src/fixate/_ui.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 from typing import Callable, Any
 from queue import Queue, Empty
+from enum import StrEnum
 import time
 from pubsub import pub
 
@@ -43,6 +44,18 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
         return self.error_msg
 
 
+class UiColour(StrEnum):
+    RED = "red"
+    GREEN = "green"
+    BLUE = "blue"
+    YELLOW = "yellow"
+    WHITE = "white"
+    BLACK = "black"
+    CYAN = "cyan"
+    MAGENTA = "magenta"
+    GREY = "grey"
+
+
 def _user_request_input(msg: str):
     q = Queue()
     pub.sendMessage("UI_block_start")
@@ -184,8 +197,10 @@ def user_info(msg: str):
     pub.sendMessage("UI_display", msg=msg)
 
 
-def user_info_important(msg: str):
-    pub.sendMessage("UI_display_important", msg=msg)
+def user_info_important(
+    msg: str, colour: UiColour = UiColour.RED, bg_colour: UiColour = UiColour.WHITE
+):
+    pub.sendMessage("UI_display_important", msg=msg, colour=colour, bg_colour=bg_colour)
 
 
 def user_ok(msg: str):
diff --git a/src/fixate/ui_cmdline/cmd_line.py b/src/fixate/ui_cmdline/cmd_line.py
index a7e666a..af0b580 100644
--- a/src/fixate/ui_cmdline/cmd_line.py
+++ b/src/fixate/ui_cmdline/cmd_line.py
@@ -182,12 +182,13 @@ def _user_display(msg):
     print(_reformat_text(msg))
 
 
-def _user_display_important(msg):
+def _user_display_important(msg, colour=None, bg_colour=None):
     """
     :param msg:
     :param important: creates a line of "!" either side of the message
     :return:
     """
+    # ignore the colours that are used in the GUI
     print("")
     print("!" * wrapper.width)
     print("")
diff --git a/src/fixate/ui_gui_qt/ui_gui_qt.py b/src/fixate/ui_gui_qt/ui_gui_qt.py
index 8eae88a..bba3228 100644
--- a/src/fixate/ui_gui_qt/ui_gui_qt.py
+++ b/src/fixate/ui_gui_qt/ui_gui_qt.py
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ def _topic_UI_display(self, msg):
         self.sig_active_update.emit(self.reformat_text(msg))
         self.sig_history_update.emit(self.reformat_text(msg))
 
-    def _topic_UI_display_important(self, msg):
+    def _topic_UI_display_important(self, msg, colour="red", bg_colour="white"):
         """
         :param msg:
         :return:
@@ -794,9 +794,13 @@ def _topic_UI_display_important(self, msg):
         self.sig_history_update.emit(txt_fill)
 
         # Active window
-        self.sig_active_update.emit(f"<span style='color:red;'>{txt_fill}</span>")
+        self.sig_active_update.emit(
+            f"<span style='color:{colour};background-color:{bg_colour}'>{txt_fill}</span>"
+        )
         self.sig_active_update.emit(self.reformat_text(msg))
-        self.sig_active_update.emit(f"<span style='color:red;'>{txt_fill}</span>")
+        self.sig_active_update.emit(
+            f"<span style='color:{colour};background-color:{bg_colour}'>{txt_fill}</span>"
+        )
 
     def _topic_Sequence_Complete(
         self, status, passed, failed, error, skipped, sequence_status