After my blog entitled "Commercial Racism" lambasted the Labour government, they were last night forced to drop these plans along with two other measures as the price for opposition support for the Finance Bill. Lobbying does work, it seems, and a lot of praise needs to go to those who campaigned relentlessly on behalf of self caterers and the Tourism industry generally, including our friends at Visit Scotland, Visit Britain and the ASSC.
But we must not relax. Labour have pledged to re-introduce it if they are re-elected. Everyone in the Tourism sector should avoid voting Labour. Not just self caterers. The disgraceful conduct of this government in attempting to repeal the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) Rules without any consultation is indicative of a wholesale disregard and contempt for this industry and the many small businesses that underpin it.
In making the re-introduction pledge they have made a major political blunder in my opinion. Better to have said nothing and accepted the defeat with good grace. They may then have hoped that some otherwise Labour supporters might have short memories and retained their votes - and not just from Tourism professionals, but from cider drinkers, too! As it is, we must be ever more determined to keep out those who have shown no compunction in betraying the trust of a whole industry to safeguard it for the nation.
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