Hated ‘tourist tax’ on UK staycations will be AXED if Reform wins next general election

REFORM has vowed to repeal the hated tourist tax if it wins the next general election. Andy Burnham’s Overnight Visitors Levy is in the crosshairs of a Nigel Farage premiership amid fears it could further batter the hospitality sector. Reform has vowed to repeal the hated tourist tax if it wins the next general election Credit: PA Andy Burnham’s Overnight Visitors Levy is in the crosshairs of a Nigel Farage premiership amid fears it could further batter the hospitality sector Credit: Getty Labour is planning to hand mayors the power to slap visitors with an extra fee to their hotel rooms, bed-and-breakfasts, and holiday lets like Airbnb. Analysis of the tax by UK Hospitality estimates as many as 33,000 jobs could disappear in the trade and it could wipe £2 billion from the economy. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Reform’s economic spokesperson Robert Jenrick accused Andy Burnham for “betraying working people who are already struggling” and accused him of being “completely out of touch”. He said: “The Holiday Tax will be a disaster for working people. Families are already struggling with rising taxes and prices – this is the last thing they need. “Unable to cut spending in Westminster, Burnham is asking mayors to do his dirty work by increasing taxes themselves in a move that will cost thousands of jobs in the hospitality trade.” Chief Executive of UKHospitality Allen Simpson said: “At a time when both the public and businesses are already facing substantial cost pressures, the Government should be focused on measures that encourage tourism and investment, and reduce hospitality’s tax burden closer, not add more cost.” A family holiday in Britain for one week could add up to £70 extra on accommodation costs. The overnight visitors levy is currently imposed in Edinburgh and will soon apply in Cardiff. Most read in The Sun The Sun has been campaigning to Stop The Holiday Tax, warning it risks pricing hard-working families out of precious staycations. Reform mayors have vowed not to bring in similar schemes while in power. They raised the alarm that local leaders were under no obligation to reinvest the funds and claimed they will spend the cash on vanity projects. Meanwhile Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has also promised to get rid of the dreaded holiday tax to get Britain’s economy firing again. She also pledged to bring back tax-free shopping for tourists from outside the European Union. Why we vow to scrap it By Robert Jenrick, Reform Treasury chief ANDY Burnham talks a good game but his mask has dropped. His plan to let Labour mayors levy an uncapped holiday tax on overnight stays is a recipe for killing precious family getaways. He must be living in a parallel universe if he thinks families have hundreds of pounds spare. With energy bills, food prices and taxes all rising, this is the last thing people need. For many, a £150 increase on a two- week holiday will simply be too much. Labour look down on working people. Reform will proudly champion them. A Reform government would scrap the holiday tax outright. The answer to our country’s problems isn’t more taxes. It’s to cut wasteful spending on benefits, foreign aid and Net Zero so we can cut taxes on British workers. Comment now