Quotes

Caroline Spelman, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, House of Commons, 20/01/2009

"...One of the saddest features of this recession is the increase in the number of empty premises on the high street. Will she therefore confirm that, even with the tiny relief in the pre-Budget report, the new empty property business rates are still set to raise £700 million this year? Does she accept that that additional tax could well make the difference between a business getting by and a business going to the wall?" (Hansard)

Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor

“What will now happen is that when property falls vacant it will be penalised for being empty in a recession which is a ludicrous situation, completely counterproductive and economically very damaging. [The Government] hasn’t thought through the economics of commercial property. They introduced in effect a tax on development a lot of which in its nature is speculative and built ahead of demand. [Empty rates are] damaging to the industry even in a good time and now that we are in a recession it is lethal. [The Government] rushed a change through to raise more money without consulting people and talking about it properly. I think what the Government needs to come back with a revised proposal on empty property rates, which reflects the current economic reality.”

Alan Duncan, then Shadow Minister for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, House of Commons, 07/10/08
"Perhaps most immoral of all, taxing something that generates no revenue does enormous damage. Removing the tax relief for empty property rates is bringing to a grinding halt any kind of activity for preparing business premises or developing wrecked premises for future use. It is taking money from people who have not got it to the point where they have to take the roof off or demolish what they have just built."

Roger Gale, Conservative MP for North Thanet, House of Commons, 07/10/08
"Premises are being pulled down as I speak so that the owners of those empty properties do not have to pay business rates. If we continue down this road, when we come out of recession we will not have the properties or premises that we need... Charging the owners of these premises retrospective rates on empty properties is about as effective as tying a stone to the leg of a drowning man and telling him to swim."

Eric Pickles, then Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local government, Mail on Sunday, 16/11/08
"The fact Labour’s own Chief Whip is leading this tax revolt shows just how damaging this levy is."