One in 10 corner shop owners says they would consider closing down if the Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law, according to a survey by Merlin Strategies for retailing community C-Talk. Out of more than 500 corner shop owners surveyed:
Leader of the Protect Your Store campaign Paul Cheema said:
“Retailers are in a world of pain right now with higher NICs, higher business rates and higher wage costs all in the last year. On top of that, the government now wants to slap more regulations on us with their Tobacco and Vapes Bill – bringing in an unworkable generational ban and reducing access to information for those wanting to make better choices, all while failing to prevent the illicit trade.”
Cheema has now hand-delivered 1,435 signed letters from shop owners to Business Secretary Peter Kyle urging him rethink the bill. Meanwhile Tory peer Lord Naseby warns that HMRC could lose £6 billion from illegal imports after the bill becomes law. Burning a hole in the coffers…
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”