Tories Vow to Scrap Business Rates for Pubs and Shops in High Street Revival Plan

The Conservative Party has unveiled a bold manifesto commitment: if elected, they will abolish business rates entirely for high-street shops, pubs, and other retail, hospitality, and leisure venues.

Delivering the announcement at the party’s conference in Manchester, shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride framed the move as a remedy for what he described as an “unsustainable tax burden” under the current Labour government. He argued that many businesses have been squeezed by escalating costs, including a doubling of business rates in some cases.

The Conservatives estimate the policy would cost around £4 billion a year and benefit approximately 250,000 businesses. According to their figures, 89,000 jobs in the hospitality sector alone have been lost since the previous budget, a statistic introduced by Sir Mel to underscore the urgency of relief.

To balance their books, the party plans to fund this relief through sweeping cuts across public spending. Their proposals include trimming welfare expenditure, shrinking the Civil Service, and reducing foreign aid. Sir Mel also indicated that benefit eligibility will be tightened, including limiting claims for those with “less severe” mental health conditions in favour of treatment instead of long-term welfare.

On immigration, the Conservatives emphasised that only UK citizens would qualify for many benefits, though they clarified that EU nationals with settled status would continue to be eligible. Party leader Kemi Badenoch further pledged to pursue an exit from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and hinted at deploying U.S.-style immigration enforcement tactics.

Labour immediately criticised the proposal. Spokespeople argued that the Conservatives had neither adequately explained how they would cover the £4 billion cost nor shown credible evidence that their approach would succeed. “Same old Tories, same old policies,” one spokesperson declared.

As the general election looms, this radical business-rate overhaul is likely to become a high-stakes battleground issue. Will the promise of a revived high street resonate with voters—or will questions about affordability and trade-offs override the ambition?

Source: Sky News