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Kerry Attacks LibDem ‘Localism’ Hypocrisy
Kerry McCarthy MP has accused Nick Clegg, and the Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West of hypocrisy for their failure to support Labour plans to give local people a greater say in what shops could operate on their high streets.
Last Thursday, Labour put forward a new clause to the Government’s Localism Bill, which would have required local planning authorities to adopt retail diversity schemes. Today during Deputy Prime Minister’s questions, Kerry raised this with Nick Clegg, asking:
‘During the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, the Deputy Prime Minister said in relation to the newly-opened Tesco in Greenfield that we need to “keep our high streets diverse” and “make sure we support small shops as well as big ones”. Why then did his party vote against Labour’s New Clause 29 to the Localism Bill which would have required councils to include a retail diversity scheme within their local development frameworks?"
Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West which includes the Stokes Croft area of the city, was one of those who voted against Labour’s amendment, even though he had previously signed an Early Day Motion calling upon the Government to bring forward amendments to the Localism Bill that would ensure local people had the legal power to promote local shops and resist big street chains that would do harm to local businesses.
Kerry said: ‘‘By voting against this amendment, Stephen Williams has let down the people he represents, many of whom have made clear that they want more of a say in what their high streets look like. Despite signing an EDM calling for amendments to the Localism Bill that would help promote local businesses and ensure that the community has a greater say about which shops open on their local high street, Stephen Williams has now voted against an amendment that would have done just that.
In Bristol many small local shops and pubs are struggling because of the sluggish economy. Big supermarket chains and their convenience stores can make the retail environment much harder for local businesses and sadly as we have seen on many of our high streets many go bust. The Government needs to protect our local communities by giving local people a greater voice over the retail diversity of their high street and this must include a balance between large and small stores.’’
