The costs of eggs, bacon, and sausages have risen under Labour
The Commons has been told that the classic English breakfast is ‘in danger’ under Sir Keir Starmer’s Government, as the costs of eggs, bacon, and sausages have risen under Labour. Conservative MP Mark Pritchard has said that the Government would not be excused for taking away this British favourite from the UK high streets.
The statement came as the Tories pushed for the removal of business rates for many retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses on the high street during an opposition day debate. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith informed the Commons: “We understand that businesses take risks, create wealth and employ millions.
“That’s why we introduced business rates relief before this Labour Government cut it, and it is why we will introduce a 100% rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, taking 250,000 high street premises out of business rates entirely.”
Companies are raising concerns about increasing expenses lately, and some smaller businesses might shut down due to skyrocketing energy costs, higher wages, and business taxes, according to the Conservatives.
Intervening, Mr Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, said: “Cafes play an important part on the high street, bringing people in. Under this Government, mushrooms are up, bacon is up, eggs are up, sausages are up, bread is up, tea is up, milk is up, and therein is a threat to the full English breakfast. And there are many things that this Government might be forgiven for, but taking away the full English breakfast from the high street is not one of them.”
Mr Griffith replied: “I enjoy a full English as much as I suspect my colleague does. And it’s not just breakfast – it’s lunch, it’s supper, it’s tea, it’s dinner, and it’s the great British pub. All of whom are under threat.”
Communities minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said ministers “absolutely understand the pressure that businesses are under”. She said: “That pressure did not happen overnight, they are the consequence of 14 years where we have not seen productivity growth. They are the consequence of 14 years where the economy hasn’t grown.
“Now we understand the economic reality, and we are taking action to respond to that economic reality.” Ms Fahnbulleh added that it was “disingenuous” of the Conservatives to pretend they had not left the economy “decimated”.
Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrats’ business spokeswoman, called for “far more urgency” on cutting energy bills to help the high street, including by breaking “the link between gas and electricity prices”.
She said: “We call for bolder, more ambitious and fairer measures to replace business rates with a fair new system that can boost high streets and town centres (and) to negotiate a new customs union with the EU, which would cut red tape for small businesses and supercharge our economy as a whole.”
Speaking at Treasury questions, Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) said: “Recent research by the British Retail Consortium and UK Hospitality has shown that 120,000 high street jobs are potentially at risk as a result of proposed changes to business rates next April.
“Could the Chancellor and ministers confirm that the forthcoming Budget will support my 250 local retail businesses through a meaningful reduction in rates and ensure that no shop pays more?”
Earlier on Tuesday (Nov 4), Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson signalled that some high street businesses would be paying less in business rates following the Budget later this month. Mr Tomlinson said: “We will be introducing permanently lower rates for those businesses in the Budget.”
