GORDON HENDERSON MP

22nd March 2009

Cameron envoy to visit Sheppey

Gordon Henderson has arranged for a senior member of David Cameron’s team to visit the Port of Sheerness.

Mark Simmonds PM, will meet local firms who operate from the site and are facing crippling bills following the Government’s decision to change the way business rates are calculated and demanding huge amounts in backdated revenue.

Mr Simmonds has been asked by David Cameron to draw up the Conservative manifesto for coastal towns at the next General Election, and will visit Sheerness on Tuesday 31st March for a meeting with the companies worst affected by the Government’s rates revaluation.

The decision to invite Mr Simmonds to visit Sheerness was taken in the same week that Conservatives in the House of Lords defeated Government proposals which threaten the future of local firms based in ports. The unfair new taxes, in the form of backdated business rates, threaten to lead to the loss of hundreds of jobs on Sheppey.

Mr Henderson explained:

‘I am delighted that Mark Simmonds has agreed to visit Sheerness to hear at first hand the problems facing local companies hit by these unfair backdated business rates. Mark has been asked by David Cameron to draw up the manifesto for coastal towns and coming to the Island to see how important the port is to our local economy will help him to formulate the right policies to ensure a future Conservative Government gives Sheppey the help it needs to prosper.

‘This quite incomprehensible decision by the Government threatens hundreds of jobs on Sheppey and could seriously harm our very fragile economy. Local firms are already struggling to make ends meet thanks to the recession. These unfair, retrospective taxes from Gordon Brown’s tax inspectors could be the last straw. Even the Government’s own Insolvency Service is warning that the Ministers’ plans could push firms into insolvency.

‘This whole affair has exposed systemic failure at the heart of Government. The retrospective taxes break the Government’s own rules; there was no impact assessment; no consideration of the harmful effect on the wider economy and inadequate warning. Yet no-one is taking responsibility.

‘Following this week’s vote in Parliament we Conservatives are calling on the Government to scrap the ‘ports tax’.’