Budget update: Harrogate MP hails Chancellor after 'tremendous boost' for town in Budget

Harrogate MP defends his vote on sewage in rivers in letter to constituents

Yesterday's measures announced by Chancellor - and fellow North Yorkshire MP - Rishi Sunak included halving business rates for the vast majority of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.

Mr Jones said: “What a tremendous boost this is for our area. Our local economy largely depends on business and leisure tourism with thousands of jobs underpinned by the industry.

“We have started our recovery from the pandemic well with the Convention Centre performing strongly and hotels and guest houses reporting high rates of occupancy.

"This is good news but we need to consolidate that progress and give the hospitality industry every opportunity to grow.

“That is why I support the measures announced in the Budget. Taken with Small Business Rate Relief this represents a cut to business taxes of around £7 billion with over 700,000 businesses being eligible.”

The Chancellor’s move will benefit businesses such as pubs, gyms, cinemas, restaurants and hotels.

It comes alongside measures to support pubs and brewers with alcohol duty rates frozen and a new lower rate of duty for draught beer and cider.

Mr Jones continued: “Almost everyone knows someone who works or has worked in the hospitality industry.

"This demonstrates the critical role the sector plays locally. These changes will put rocket boosters under the industry, safeguard jobs, bring more visitors to our area and boost the footfall upon which our local retailers rely.”

But the BBC reported today that economic think tank The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) was predicting that inflation, spiralling costs and higher taxes on incomes would ultimately leave the majority of middle earners in Britain less well off amid media headlines claiming Britain was facing the highest tax burden since the 1950s

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