| Subject |
National
campaign launch against Labour's 'Bed Tax' - Boscombe Pier,
Bournemouth
|
| Ref |
PR/06-152 |
| Date |
1st
August 2006 |
The Conservative
Party will begin its campaign to save the great British holiday
from the Government's so called 'Bed Tax' tomorrow and will be staging
the launch at Boscombe Pier, Bournemouth at 4pm.
Tobias Ellwood
will join Hugo Swire, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media
and Sport and Shadow Local Government Minister, Eric Pickles, who
will be handing out pre-written postcards for tourists and residents
to send to Gordon Brown.
The tax, which
is the brainchild of both Gordon Brown and John Prescott, would
add around £100 a week to the cost of a family holiday. Hotels
and guesthouses which are already paying 17.5 % VAT would have to
pay an additional 10%, forcing many out of business.
Tobias said:
"Bournemouth
is heavily reliant on tourism yet overregulation has already forced
over 200 hotels and B&B's to close in Boscombe alone. If this
'Bed Tax' is introduced it will place even more pressure on our
hospitality trade in addition to the ever increasing competition
from cheap overseas holidays. Loss of employment will also have
a knock on effect on the local economy.
I encourage
as many people as possible, particularly those involved in the hospitality
sector, to participate in this launch. We need to send the message
to Gordon Brown that a 'Bed Tax' would harm Bournemouth and harm
Britain. Rather than pursue taxes that discourage the British holiday
Gordon Brown should be removing the taxes and red tape that is stifling
our hospitality industry."
|
