UK business rates system needs scrapped – Labour
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper says the business rates system is not working and “needs to be scrapped”.
The Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford told BBC Breakfast earlier this month: “This business rates system just isn’t working and that’s why it needs to be scrapped in order to properly support our high streets.
“You’ve got high street businesses who are paying business rates, but a lot of their competitors are now online that aren’t paying those business rates and so that’s why we want to scrap that system and replace it with a much fairer system.”
Ms Cooper said shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves would set out Labour’s plans “in due course”.
The shadow home secretary added that bringing more community police into town centres was important as “shoppers don’t feel safe”.
Labour has pledged to “breathe new life” into high streets as the party unveils a five-point plan including reforming business rates and tougher laws on shoplifting.
Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the BRC, said: “Business rates remain the biggest threat to the vitality of our high streets.
"Retailers pay over £7 billion a year in rates – money that could have been better spent improving our town and city centres, investing in lower prices, and maintaining jobs and commerce all over the UK.
"Reforms to this disproportionate and destructive tax are a matter of urgency.”