Government must scrap plans for unfair ports tax after Lords defeat

Sharpness Port – jobs should be protected

Neil Carmichael, Parliamentary Candidate for Stroud, welcomed the news that the House of Lords has voted against Government proposals which threaten the future of local firms based in ports, including Sharpness. The unfair new taxes, in the form of backdated business rates, threaten to lead of thousands of job cuts and harm the whole economy – including the car industry.

Sharpness has a thriving port handling some 600k tonnes of bulk cargo per year with several important businesses, providing much needed employment.

Following decisions made when Gordon brown was Chancellor, the Government has changed the way that business rates are calculated for ports – taxing individual firms rather than port operators. Rather than introducing the new system at the 2010 rates revaluation, local ports firms are to be hit with unexpected bills backdated to 2005.

Neil Carmichael explained, “The unfair new taxes, in the form of backdated business rates, threaten local jobs and could harm the whole economy. Conservatives are calling on the Government to scrap the ‘ports tax’ completely after this week’s vote in Parliament.

Neil added, “Local firms are already struggling to make ends meet thanks to the recession. These unfair, retrospective taxes from Gordon Brown’s tax inspectors could be the last straw. Even the Government’s own Insolvency Service is warning that the Ministers’ plans could push some firms into insolvency.”

Picture: Neil Carmichael at Sharpness Docks