LOCAL MP Rachel Gilmour has called on the Chancellor to use next week’s autumn Budget to cut VAT by five per cent for pubs, restaurants, entertainment, and accommodation venues in a bid to tackle the cost of living crisis and support Britain’s high streets.

Mrs Gilmour said the move would help promote economic growth in her Tiverton and Minehead constituency, which covers West Somerset, parts of the Culm Valley and Blackdown Hills, and some parishes bordering Wellington.

She said it would immediately help hospitality businesses and reduce prices for hard-pressed families.

Mrs Gilmour also made a separate call for household energy costs to be reduced by removing the ‘renewables obligation’ levy which people currently pay as part of their electricity bill, putting £270 back in people’s pockets.

The plans, which are costed at about £12 billion, would be paid for with a new, time-limited windfall tax on large commercial banks, raising the digital services tax on tech and social media giants from two to 10 per cent, and doubling remote betting duty on gambling companies from 21 to 42 per cent.

Mrs Gilmour said: “Hospitality businesses are having an incredibly tough time at the moment, with the Government’s job tax and the hike in business rates restricting the growth of small and medium enterprises across the country, including right here in Tiverton and Minehead.

“Making changes to VAT on hospitality and energy bills for households would put £270 back into people’s pockets, making it more affordable to heat their home and allowing them to spend more on occasional extras.

“This would help to drive economic growth, restore our high streets and give the country a much-needed morale boost.

“We need to re-energise our struggling small businesses and help drive economic growth locally here in Devon and Somerset.”