Salford MP and shadow business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey has revealed plans to revive the great British High Street during her speech to the Labour Party Conference at Liverpool.
Among the proposals are free wi-fi and a ban on ATM charges.
Long- Bailey told the party conference that over three years there have been 100,000 job losses in retail alone, our biggest employment sector.
“Thriving high streets were once the centre of communities, somewhere local people were proud of but once flourishing businesses are now replaced by boarded-up shops with almost 25,000 vacant retail and leisure premises across Great Britain. Household names such as Toys R Us and Maplin have disappeared and big brands like New Look and M&S are closing stores across the country.”
adding that:
“The move to online retail and the changing nature of the way we shop doesn’t need to mean empty high streets and job losses. It can mean a vibrant community space, with local independent shops, cafes and restaurants.”
The party has put forward five proposals which also include stopping Post Office and bank branch closures and providing free bus travel for under 25s.
They will also establish a register of landlords of empty shops in each local authority and will introduce annual revaluations of rates, exempt new plant and machinery from revaluations, “ensure a fair appeals system and fundamentally review the business rates system to bring it into the 21st century.”
