The Standard View: Rishi Sunak’s ‘tourist tax’ is a U-turn waiting to happen

Exterior of Harrods Department Store at Knightsbridge in
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We know the ‘tourist tax’ has been a body blow for London’s world-leading retail and hospitality sectors. But it has also hugely damaged our cultural institutions.

That is why organisations such as the Royal Opera House, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Society of London Theatre have added their voices to calls for the Government to reintroduce VAT-free shopping for overseas visitors, warning that the tax is a “disincentive” for tourists which is hitting audiences across the capital.

This is a U-turn waiting to happen. Rishi Sunak should admit his mistake, repeal the decision he made as chancellor and allow London to compete on an equal footing with Paris, Milan and Barcelona. For jobs, growth and the capital’s position as the best city in the world to visit, the Prime Minister should cut his losses and reinstate tax-free shopping.

Met’s chance to shine

Sacking misbehaving officers is a crucial step in the Met Police’s battle to regain the trust of Londoners. Currently, officers who fail to maintain their vetting system can keep working, a system Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley condemned as “bizarre and over-regulated”. Under new proposals, being considered by ministers, they would face automatic dismissal.

The Met has suffered a series of appalling scandals in recent times, including the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Met officer, Wayne Couzens, as well as the case of the serial rapist and firearms officer, David Carrick.

The excoriating Baroness Casey Review followed, which called the misconduct process “not fit for purpose” and specifically recommended a change in regulations to ensure that “failure to maintain or achieve vetting status is grounds for removal.”

Policing the capital ought to require the highest of standards. This must only be the start.

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