Save high street by taxing online sales at higher rate, Burnham urged
Source: The Guardian ·
Exclusive: British Chambers of Commerce president tells PM to ‘level the playing field’ for struggling high streets• How Middleton’s revival could be grist to the mill for Britain’s struggling townsAndy Burnham has been urged by one of his most senior former advisers to tax internet sales at a higher rate than those in physical shops to help “level the playing field” for struggling high…
From the source
Andy Burnham has been urged by one of his most senior former advisers to tax internet sales at a higher rate than those in physical shops to help “level the playing field” for struggling high streets. As the prime minister and his chancellor, John Healey, prepare for their first budget next week, Andy Haldane joined calls for them to take action to stop the shutters coming down on growing numbers of shops across the UK. In an interview for a Guardian series looking at how Britain can reverse the declining fortunes of towns, the former Bank of England chief economist urged them to launch a realignment of the tax system away from favouring online sellers, alongside a review of business rates and measures to turbocharge devolution. “The balance of tax incentives are strongly skewed towards the digital over the physical, and the large over small, and if you’re serious about high streets that needs somehow rebalancing,” he said. Calling on Burnham to follow through with Labour’s manifesto…