‘Tourism tax might strengthen UK areas folks come to take pleasure in – however must be performed correctly’
There are legitimate concerns among hotels and B&Bs operating on tight margins, and no area should be forced into a scheme that does not suit it. But that is exactly why the decision belongs locally.
Voice of the Mirror has its say…
Tourism is a huge asset, but for many towns, it also brings a bill. Visitors use roads, buses, toilets, bins, and public spaces, while councils, already struggling to keep services running, are expected to absorb the cost.
Giving mayors the power to introduce a modest visitor levy is therefore worth serious consideration. The principle is hardly radical. Cities across Europe have used similar schemes for years, and tourists have not suddenly stopped going to Paris or Barcelona because a few extra pounds were added to a hotel bill.
Done properly, the money could strengthen the very places people come to enjoy, from cleaner streets and better transport to revived high streets and public spaces. There are legitimate concerns among hotels and B&Bs operating on tight margins, and no area should be forced into a scheme that does not suit it.
But that is exactly why the decision belongs locally.Devolution should mean giving communities the power to shape, fund and improve their own future.
Huge decision
Dame Esther Rantzen’s revelation that she is now too frail to travel to Dignitas brings an intensely personal dimension to Friday’s vote on assisted dying. The proposed law would allow some terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to seek help to end their lives under strict safeguards.
Supporters say that would offer dignity and choice to people facing unbearable suffering. Opponents fear vulnerable patients could feel subtle pressure, coercion or a duty to stop being a burden on those around them. Both arguments deserve to be heard in full.
This is one of Parliament’s most profound moral decisions, touching on suffering, freedom, medical care and the protection of the vulnerable. MPs must judge the Bill on its safeguards, consequences and humanity, not emotion alone.
Stocking up
Growing up is overrated, and this Christmas plenty of adults seem ready to prove it. Toy stores say “kidult” toys are booming, with grown-ups snapping up Lego, Hot Wheels and wrestling trucks. If racing tiny cars round the kitchen keeps us off our phones for an hour, Santa can fill our stockings too.
