Labour’s new bed & breakfast stealth tax will hike cost of Scottish trips

With the summer holiday season in full swing, Scottish Conservatives today launched a campaign to stop Labour’s latest money-making ruse - a new stealth tax on Scottish holidays.

Gordon Brown and John Prescott (prior to losing his job) asked former Labour councillor, Sir Michael Lyons, to produce plans for new local taxes; in December’s interim report, he raised the prospect of a new local levy on England’s hotels, hostels and bed & breakfasts; in Scotland a similar exercise is underway and Unison, amongst others, has called for just such a tourism tax.

This would be on top of existing business rates and VAT on hotel bills. Based on similar taxes in other countries, this could potentially add £100 a week to the cost of a family holiday or visit to tourist destinations. Less well-off families would be the hardest hit.

Jamie McGrigor, Scottish Conservative tourism spokesman, commented: “The brilliant summer weather has shown what a great place Scotland is to spend a short break or a holiday.

"But the great seaside or highland holiday is under threat from a ‘bed & breakfast stealth tax’ – Labour’s latest money-making ploy. There’s nothing wrong with choosing to travel abroad, but no-one will benefit from making Scottish holidays a rip-off.”