The Tories and Business Rates

I've exposed lie after lie made by Putney Conservatives about the impact of Business Rate revaluation on Putney businesses - Justine Greening going round telling local businesses their rates are set to rise when in reality they'll be cut in West Hill, Roehampton and on the Dover House estate.

But this story, exposed in tonight's Evening Standard exposes the reality of Miss Greening's concern for London businesses. Tory Mayor Boris Johnson had the chance to spare London businesses from the CrossRail levy - a tax on businesses to pay for the new train link that will be of very little benefit to Putney residents or shops, but which you'll still have to pay. He could have come up with a fundraising mechanism that lifted more small businesses out of paying the tax altogether. He could have come up with a mechanism that put the bulk of the burden on those who will benefit financially from Crossrail.

Instead, he's pressed ahead with the full Tory tax rise, saddling businesses with a MIMINUM increase of £1,100 a year.

Just consider how cynical the Conservatives have been on this - and Justine Greening has been at the forefront of this deception. On the one hand, they demand that a revaluation - that will increase rates on some Putney businesses but cut them on far more - be halted. They hint - but have not actually put down in writing - that they'll halt the revaluation if they win power. But when they have a cast iron opportunity to help businesses with their tax burden, as they do right across London what do they do? Hike tax by more than £1,000 a year!

In that light do you REALLY believe that Justine Greening will vote to abandon a revaluation of business rates if she ends up in power in fourteen weeks' time? Of course she won't. It's shabby political posturing in the full knowledge that they won't do what they're telling you they will do. They should put a stop to it - and if they won't, you'll have to put a stop to it at the ballot box.