Labour says review of business taxes would 'include hospitality'

A planned review of business taxes under a Labour government would include the hospitality industry, the shadow business secretary has said.

Jonathan Reynolds addressed the UKHospitality conference in London yesterday, where he promised the party would “breathe life back into our high streets” if it took power in the next general election.

He acknowledged that hospitality was “particularly worried” about the tax burden on businesses but did not make any pledges on cutting VAT.

Reynolds told the conference: “You will appreciate those commitments are hard to make in opposition, especially with the fiscal situation we will inherit. But I can assure you we are listening.”

He added: “Our review of the business tax regime, looking at increasing certainty and investment, will include the hospitality sector.”

Reynolds renewed Labour’s pledge to overhaul the business rates system and promised to “rebalance the burden between bricks and clicks” by ensuring online companies paid their “fair share” of tax.

He said Labour would work with the hospitality industry on reforms to the planning system “to ensure businesses can grow” and make the apprenticeship levy more flexible for employers.

Reynolds added Labour would not “reopen the Brexit wounds”, but said the Migration Advisory Committee should be reformed to provide more timely updates on the shortage occupation list.

The list makes it easier for employers to fill certain jobs from abroad and UKHospitality has called for chefs and wider hospitality roles to be included.

Reynolds told the conference his first job was as a waiter at the Chiltern Lodge Country Retreat in County Durham and said hospitality was “vital to our economy”.

He added: “I am proud to tell you I can still silver serve, which I’m not sure is the case for many of the business secretaries I have shadowed.”

Image: @jreynoldsMP/Twitter