Andy Burnham faces fury over tax reform 'leaving 30,000 jobs at risk'
Andy Burnham is facing fierce backlash over his tourism tax reform as critics warn it would put thousands of jobs at risk.
UKHospitality, a national body representing the industry, has warned the Government's plans to introduce a new tourism tax in England could leave 33,000 people without a job.
Mr Burnham is due to hand regional mayors the power to levy uncapped taxes on tourists, potentially adding hundreds of pounds to the cost of a family holiday in England.
The charge, expected to be based on a percentage of accommodation costs rather than a flat fee, is due to be formally unveiled by ministers later today.
Leaving the hospitality sector blindsided, criticism has weighed in from industry experts and opposition politicians.
Allen Simpson, the UKHospitality's chief executive, said: "The 33,000 people who could lose their jobs as a result of this tax, during an employment crisis, will be rightly furious.
"In a week when the Government has talked about growth, cutting red tape, getting people back into work and supporting hospitality, it is set to announce yet another tax that will do the absolute opposite."
The 33,000 figure, the body said, had been calculated by an independent analysis conducted by Oxford Economics.
Kemi Badenoch has also weighed in, saying she does not want to see the holiday tax being levvied in Conservative or Labour councils.
Speaking to Sky News, she said: "We need to create jobs and grow our economy. Business does that. Taxing does not create jobs. It reduces them. We saw that with Rachel Reeves' budget. I wish Labour had learned that lesson."
Pressed on whether she would instruct all Conservative mayors to reject the levy, the leader of the opposition said: "I don't want to see a tourism tax. Not in a Conservative council, not in a Labour council.
"This is not what we do. We are just taxing and taxing. The Government has run out of ideas. There's no imagination."
A No10 spokesman said: "We trust local leaders to make decisions for their areas. We want more areas to feel the benefits in tourism."
"Local leaders are in charge of how and at what level it should be applied," they added.
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France 'threatens to scrap migrant deal' as Andy Burnham desperately pleads with Emmanuel Macron
France is said to have threatened to scrap the one in, one out deal, as Andy Burnham as desperately pleaded with Emmanuel Macron in an attempt to renew the agreement.
The Prime Minister was addressing concerns the French government is considering pulling the plug on the policy.
The deal is set to expire at the end of the month and both France and Britain have yet to reach an agreement to renew the arrangements.
One government source alleged the French were "on the verge of pulling out" of the talks.
Read George Bunn's story here.
PICTURED: MPs gather with their canine friends in Westminster
The Westminster Dog of the Year competition has kicked off in the capital this morning.
MPs have gathered in Victoria Gardens with their canine friends ahead of the judging.
Photographed is Jessica Toale MP for Bournemouth West with her bulldog, Bertie.
Andy Burnham opens door to second Scottish independence referendum comparing it to potential Irish reunification
Andy Burnham has opened the door to another Scottish independence referendum could be held if public opinion shows demand for one.
The Prime Minister had previously told Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney that a second referendum is "off limits”.
However, in the Commons he appeared to indicate a vote could be held if there was clear public support, comparing the situation to the conditions for a border poll in Northern Ireland.
Mr Burnham went as far as to compare it to potential Irish reunification.
Read George Bunn's story here.
'This is not what we do!' - Kemi Badenoch rejects tourism tax proposals
Kemi Badenoch has said neither Conservative nor Labour councils should introduce a tourism tax.
This comes as the Government plans to hand regional mayors in England powers to impose an uncapped levy on overnight stays.
The charge, expected to be based on a percentage of accommodation costs rather than a flat fee, is due to be formally unveiled by ministers later today.
Asked whether Conservative mayors such as Tees Valley's Ben Houchen should introduce the tax, Ms Badenoch told Sky News: "I hope Ben is not going to implement it, we are overtaxed. Right now we're not even getting the number of tourists that we used to get. They're going to so many other places."
She added: "We need to create jobs and grow our economy. Business does that. Taxing does not create jobs. It reduces them. We saw that with Rachel Reeves' budget. I wish Labour had learned that lesson."
Pressed on whether she would instruct all Conservative mayors to reject the levy, the leader of the opposition said: "I don't want to see a tourism tax. Not in a Conservative council, not in a Labour council. This is not what we do. We are just taxing and taxing. The Government has run out of ideas. There's no imagination."
She concluded: "It is time for us to cut costs, get growth. And that means allowing business to create jobs, not taxing them till they close down."
Women of Piddington's safety 'paramount', says health minister
Health minister Diana Johnson has said the safety and security of Piddington residents remains "absolutely vital" to decisions on asylum accommodation.
She was pressed about the women of Piddington appealling to female MPs to engage with their concerns after plans have been laid out to house 1,200 asylum seekers in non-secure accommodation in their village.
Speaking to GB News, the MP for Kingston upon Hull North, said: "Of course, we always take the security and safety of the population, of men and women, very seriously.
"Clearly, when decisions are being made about housing, I'm assuming this is for people who've applied for asylum, that there will be plans and risk assessments taking place.
"The police will be involved, Border Force will be involved, local authorities will be involved and safety and security will be absolutely vital to those decisions that are going to be made."
Health minister denies Andy Burnham is 'confused' after clash over defence versus welfare spending
Diana Johnson MP has denied Andy Burnham's messaging on defence and welfare is "confused", insisting national security remains the Government's top priority.
Speaking to GB News, the health minister said: "The Prime Minister, in his first outing in the House of Commons last week, said that national security was the priority for this Government, as it would be for any government to keep our people safe."
She added: "What he was doing yesterday was explaining why some of the proposals the leader of the opposition was putting forward as ways of investing in defence wouldn't actually work and would cost more money. But I think we can all agree that we want to get the welfare budget down."
Pressed on whether the Prime Minister's position was contradictory, Ms Johnson rejected the suggestion, insisting defence spending remained on track.
She said: "We've committed to invest in defense to get to 3.5 per cent by 2035, our Nato commitment. We've already reached our 2.5 per cent target. There's more money going into defense now than at any time since the Cold War."
Kemi Badenoch denies claims Tory plans for housing benefit would make people homeless
Kemi Badenoch has denied her party's plans would create more homelessness, but suggested some people would have to "move somewhere cheaper".
Ms Badenoch said last week her party would "remove housing benefit and remove the VAT exemption for Motability" - a scheme that allows disabled people to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair, in order to fund defence.
Speaking to the BBC, the Leader of the Opposition said: "What we’re doing is making sure that people are protected, but capping the amount that people get on benefits because we need to look after our national security.
"Without national security, there aren’t going to be any benefits. We’re all going to be in danger, far more people will be homeless, and the Government’s first duty is defence of the realm."
She added: "What we are saying is that where people are living in areas where it’s too expensive. They’ll have to move somewhere cheaper. Moving somewhere cheaper is what everybody else does."
'Totally ridiculous!' - Shadow Transport Secretary calls for review into air traffic control amid airport chaos
Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden has called for an urgent review into air traffic control as airports across the UK descended into chaos this week.
Nats, which provided air traffic control services to 15 British airports, was responsible for the major delays and cancellations, pointing the finger to its "flight processing system".
The MP for Basildon and Billericay told GB News: "It's the third time this has happened in just over four years. We need to find out exactly what's happened.
"The Government says it's having a six-month review into this, but to me, that feels like kicking it into the long grass.
"We need to find out very quickly what has happened here, because the impact this has on passengers — hundreds of thousands of them — is huge."
He added: "So let's try and have a quicker investigation — that's what we'll be pushing for, and we'll see where that ends up.
"A situation where air traffic control in the UK is falling over on average once a year now is totally ridiculous, and we cannot allow that to continue."
Andy Burnham 'not thought through' social security comments in Commons yesterday, says Shadow Transport Secretary
Richard Holden MP has said Andy Burnham has "not thought through" his comments on social welfare over national security in the Commons yesterday.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Transport Secretary said: "He said, basically, the top priority is the social security, whereas we all know that you cannot have any form of state, any form of welfare, without that national security for a state to exist within.
"I don't think he's really thought this through at all. The questions he's really putting to the people are: where's the tax going to come from to pay for it?"
RECAP: Pat McFadden's staggering 'who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others' remark
In June, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden was revealed to have told Lord Mandelson that every meeting he attended was about "who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others".
The embarrassing messages were released as part of the so-called "Mandelson Files" released by the Commons, claiming the communication was a regular part of governing.
Mr McFadden had told GB News at the time: "You write things in these messages, and I'm sure everybody does, that they probably, when they wrote them, didn't expect them to be published.
"Having said that, I've said both in private and in public that we need to change the question that the welfare system asks.
"What I mean by that is we need to move from a question which just asks what benefits you are entitled to, to a question that says: 'How can we help you change your life?'"
Outside Westminster... Piddington women pen urgent letter to female MPs as 'asylum seekers' set to outnumber them 10 to one
The women of Piddington have demanded answers from female MPs in an open letter amid fears of being outnumbered 10 to one by asylum seekers in their own home.
Labour is said to have drawn up plans to house up to 3,500 single adult male asylum seekers at a former military site near the village, which is home to just 350 people.
It reads: "We are 133 females living in a tiny rural community. The Government is planning to open nondetained asylum accommodation for 1,256 men right beside our village."
"They would outnumber us 10 to one."
The Piddington residents have warned MPs they would be "complicit" and "to blame" if the Home Office follows through with the asylum housing plans...
EXCLUSIVE: The 42 Labour seats which pass Andy Burnham's 'Piddington test'
GB News exclusively revealed yesterday evening the more than 40 affluent Labour seats which could be forced to take in more asylum seekers after the Prime Minister suggested wealthier areas should play their part.
This was based on constituencies with a median housing prices of £390,000 and median weekly wages of £862.
The People's Channel asked all 42 Labour MPs if they would support their local communities doing more to house migrants.
Only one responded.
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