Labour leadership candidate Lisa Nandy has called for an urgent overhaul of business rates to give struggling high street shops a chance against online retailers.
The Wigan MP wants greater investment in the retail sector, more protections for workers and a bigger say for local communities over planning as part of her campaign to tackle the crisis gripping Britain’s high streets.
Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the demise Woolworths, Ms Nandy said it was time for the Government to show greater ambition for local town centres.
Writing exclusvively for the Mirror, she says: “Just like so many of our homegrown industries that have experienced crises, the Government makes plenty of noise but continues to let one of the most important industries in our economy wither away. It’s a serious dereliction of duty.
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“For the sake of the 3 million people who work in retail, and the countless others who look to their high streets for a sense of pride about where they live, we urgently need to get a grip on this.”
Retailers had been facing an increase of almost £170m to their business rates bills this year.
But the Tories have announced some companies – pubs, cinemas and small businesses – will see business rates halved instead. The temporary measure, announced as part of the Queens’ speech, raises the current discount of 33%.
Labour has proposed a radical shake up of business rates in the long term to reflect changing shopping patterns.
The Daily Mirror has been highlighting has been calling for action as part of our High Street Fightback campaign.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Ms Nandy’s leadership rival, Jess Phillip has warned the party would “look bad” if it elected another male leader in a race in which four of the five candidates are women. Keir Starmer, the only man in the contest, has taken an early lead.
The Birmingham Yardley MP said sometimes men needed to “pass the mic” if they genuinely believe in gender equality.
“The Labour party has a blind spot in this regard, it always has,” she told Sky News.
“I think it will be embarrassing and, what’s more, it gives absolute grist to the mill and ammunition to our other side.”
Around 100,000 people are said to have joined Labour in recent weeks to have a say in electing Jeremy Corbyn ’s successor.
