Retail and hospitality bosses lobby Chancellor Healey at No 11 ahead of his first Budget
Chancellor John Healey hosted bosses of Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, the Co-op and industry bodies at No 11 on Tuesday 13 October. They pressed for lower business rates and employment costs, particularly for young workers, and he gave no Budget detail.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Chancellor John Healey met retail and hospitality leaders at No 11 Downing Street on the morning of Tuesday 13 October, ahead of his first Budget, which is due this month. City A.M.RC “Healey hosted high street bosses at Number 11 Downing Street for a breakfast briefing on Tuesday” Read at City A.M. ↗ The GuardianLC “At the No 11 event on Tuesday morning” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2Those present included Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and the Co-op, along with the heads of UK Hospitality, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the British Beauty Council. The Guardian also lists Costa Coffee, and names M&S's Stuart Machin and Sainsbury's Simon Roberts. City A.M.RC “The retailers in attendance – which also included Co-op – were accompanied by the bosses of industry bodies UK Hospitality (UKH), the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the British Beauty Council.” Read at City A.M. ↗ The GuardianLC “including the boss of Marks & Spencer, Stuart Machin, and Sainsbury’s chief executive, Simon Roberts” Read at The Guardian ↗ Right · 1The executives pressed him to ease taxes on high street firms, citing business rates, employment costs and youth unemployment. City A.M. says the number of under-25s not in education, employment or training is nearing 1m. City A.M.RC “pressed Healey on business rates and youth unemployment but the Chancellor stopped short of confirming any Budget measures”“as the number of under-25s not in education, employment or training (Neet) nears 1m” Read at City A.M. ↗
Left · 1The Guardian reports that businesses want a partial reversal of the cut in the employer national insurance threshold from £9,100 to £5,000 a year, made by his predecessor Rachel Reeves. They want the threshold raised to £6,000 and argue the change contributed to fewer high street jobs for young and part-time workers. The GuardianLC “lower the earnings threshold at which they start to pay Nics from £9,100 to £5,000 a year”“They want the Nics threshold raised to £6,000” Read at The Guardian ↗ Right · 1City A.M. reports that retail bosses again urged Healey not to introduce a so-called warehouse tax, which would raise business rates on large retailers to fund cuts for smaller firms. City A.M.RC “Retail bosses reiterated their calls for Healey to avoid a so-called warehouse tax by hiking business rates on large retailers to pay for tax cuts for smaller firms.” Read at City A.M. ↗ Mixed · 2BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said Reeves's Treasury had "whacked up" retailers' taxes by 20% in two years, including an extra £6.5bn in employment costs. She called the discussion with Healey positive and said he "recognised these pressures". City A.M.RC ““The Chancellor recognised these pressures, and we had a positive discussion about our shared ambition for growth and tackling youth unemployment,” Dickinson said.” Read at City A.M. ↗ The GuardianLC “after whacking up retailers’ taxes by 20% in two years, including an extra £6.5bn in new employment costs” Read at The Guardian ↗
Right · 1UK Hospitality chief executive Allen Simpson also called the talks positive and urged Healey to cut hospitality's tax burden so the sector can hire young people. City A.M.RC “It’s important the Chancellor recognises this and reduces hospitality’s tax burden at the Budget” Read at City A.M. ↗ Mixed · 2Healey gave no sign of his Budget plans. A Treasury source said he stressed the "vibrancy of the high street", and City A.M. says he did not give bosses any insight into his Budget plans. The Guardian quotes a source close to the meeting who said attendees were optimistic on both national insurance and business rates: "It felt like they were listening." City A.M.RC “Healey did not give bosses any insight into his plans for this month’s Budget, it is understood.” Read at City A.M. ↗ The GuardianLC ““It felt like they were listening,” the source said.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1Separately, the Guardian reports, citing the Financial Times, that Healey has rejected calls from Labour MPs and thinktanks to equalise capital gains tax with income tax, over fears of deterring inward investment, though he may opt for a smaller CGT rise. Economists estimate equalisation could raise £11.3bn a year. A Treasury spokesperson declined to comment on "rumour, speculation or proposals". The GuardianLC “Economists have suggested an equalisation of the rates could raise £11.3bn a year for the exchequer.”“rather than routinely commenting on rumour, speculation or proposals” Read at The Guardian ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the push to cut the cost of employing young people through a higher employer national insurance threshold, then widens to Healey's wider Budget choices on capital gains tax.
- Emphasis
- Employer national insurance threshold figures (£9,100 to £5,000, ask of £6,000), the optimism of an anonymous source, and the CGT debate inside Labour.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the warehouse tax concern or the near-1m figure for young people not in education, employment or training.
- Charged language
- “whacking up”
- For example
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“Retailers call on John Healey to reduce national insurance contributions threshold in his first budget” — The Guardian
“one source close to the meeting said they were optimistic on both fronts” — The Guardian
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Frames the meeting as retailers pressing the Chancellor to cut high street taxes, with Healey noncommittal.
- Emphasis
- Business rates, the "warehouse tax" fear, youth unemployment and the Treasury source's account; that Healey gave no Budget hints.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the specific national insurance threshold ask or the CGT reporting.
- Charged language
- “reverse the damage”“whacked up”“crunch Downing St meeting”
What every side reports
- Healey met retail and hospitality bosses at No 11 on Tuesday 13 October before his first Budget.
- Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S and the Co-op were represented, as was the BRC.
- Helen Dickinson of the BRC said Reeves had raised retailers' taxes by 20% in two years, including an extra £6.5bn in employment costs, and called the talks positive.
- Healey gave no firm Budget commitments.
Where accounts differ
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What the meeting signalled about Budget relief
- Left
- The Guardian quotes a source close to the meeting saying retailers were optimistic on national insurance and business rates: "It felt like they were listening."
- Right
- City A.M. stresses that Healey stopped short of confirming any measures and gave no insight into the Budget.
John Healey person
Healey stressed the importance of retail and hospitality and the "vibrancy of the high street" according to a Treasury source, and gave no Budget detail. The Guardian says he has vowed to ease the cost of doing business.
“he stressed the “vibrancy of the high street,” according to a Treasury source” — City A.M.
“Healey has vowed to ease the cost of doing business amid mounting pressures on firms from rising energy bills.” — The Guardian
Tesco organisation
Tesco was among the retailers at the meeting urging relief on taxes and the cost of employing young people; no separate Tesco statement is quoted.
“including Tesco, Costa Coffee and the Co-op, have met John Healey” — The Guardian
Left1 article
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UK high street bosses urge chancellor to cut cost of employing young people
Neutral Reports the lobbying on youth employment costs and national insurance, with hopeful signals from a source, and adds Budget context on capital gains tax.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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Retailers press Healey to cut high street taxes at crunch Downing St meeting
Mixed Presents the meeting as industry lobbying against high street tax rises, noting the Chancellor's lack of commitment.
- 13 Oct 12:14 First City A.M.RC Retailers press Healey to cut high street taxes at crunch Downing St meeting
- 13 Oct 18:43 +6h 28m The GuardianLC UK high street bosses urge chancellor to cut cost of employing young people
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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