01/05/10 - Scrap the Ports Tax

The Conservatives today launched their proposals to abolish increased taxes on ports today at Teesport.  Paul Bristow, Conservative candidate for Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland, and Lord Bates of Langbaurgh visited CAT UK, one of the firms detrimentally affected by new tax rules that mean business rate bills have been backdated several years.

Firms at Teesport including CAT UK have received massive tax bills which threatened to sink struggling businesses and cost jobs.  The Government came under fire from business leaders about pushing ahead with their plans during the recession without undertaking any formal consultation.

A Conservative Government will introduce an immediate and urgent freeze and halt the collection of the tax:

Paul Bristow stated:

“Labour have ignored calls from business and from Parliament about the harmful and unfair affect of these taxes.  Their own Insolvency Service has warned that many  firms will go under.  Here on Teesside this tax threatens firms like CAT UK and local jobs.

 “Our plans will stop this job destroying tax in its tracks.”

 “With the Teesside economy still reeling from the impact of the closure of the Corus/TCP plant the backdating of this tax is a spectacular own goal by Labour.”