Pre- general election campaigning on behalf of the residents of Blyth Town to call a halt to the cataclysmic rundown of its Town centre in the name of levelling up, Labour Party members and Councillors are delighted their pressure on their own national party has brought a ‘ray of sunshine’ to be steered towards their Town.
The National Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer has announced a plan to Revive Britain's High Streets and their Blyth membership and Northumberland’s Labour Councillors have made enough noise to keep their town front and centre in future decision making.
Labour in office has unveiled a five-point plan to revive high streets, including reforming business rates and tougher laws on shoplifting. With discussions which were lacking from the Conservatives in Blyth now being modelled and tested by Labour in Oldham.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper detailed the proposals prior to the GE, which also involve tackling anti-social behaviour, introducing banking hubs, ending late payments and revamping empty retail space. Those proposals are fully backed by Ian Lavery MP.
Business rates would be replaced with a system of "business property taxation" to level the playing field between high street businesses and online retailers with small and medium businesses benefiting greatly from their new proposals.
It is hoped that national and sub- national companies who have deserted the High Street will begin to return and that Blyth whose experience of Conservative levelling up failures and job promises collapsing is high on Labour’s list to begin a real upswing and have a destination of choice developed for the community of the future.
