The tourist tax saga finally gets its moment in the parliamentary sun this week.
Despite more than two years of campaigning by business leaders representing huge swathes of the economy, there has been remarkably little engagement by government other than a vague pledge to look at any fresh evidence of the economic harm done.
So the response from the minister put into bat for the Government in Thursday’s Westminster Hall debate on the subject will be illuminating.
Conservative backbench MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has done well to secure 90 minutes of parliamentary time on an issue that has caused huge concern across London’s tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.
The words from the minister will be pored over for any hint that a U-turn is on the cards. I suspect there is little chance.
The Prime Minister himself signed the death warrant for duty free shopping when he was Chancellor back in 2020, and there is little evidence that he has any inclination to reprieve a tax concession that in his eyes, mainly benefits London, and would cost the Exchequer.
It is Jeremy Hunt who makes the call now of course, but it is unlikely that he would be able to bring back duty-free shopping without the go ahead from his Downing Street neighbour.
The campaign will continue as eyes turn towards the key Christmas shopping period.
Let us see what the Government has to say, but my hunch is that there will be little hint of an early present for the West End
