Member

Economic success cannot just be measured in national statistics. In the towns of Bolton, Blackrod, Horwich and Westhoughton, my constituents want to see fairness in the tax system and real change on their high streets. They want to know that hard work is rewarded, that playing by the rules is not a disadvantage, and that those who cheat the system will not prosper at the expense of those who comply. Many legitimate businesses in my constituency work incredibly hard and—quite rightly—pay their taxes properly, but are often systematically undercut by suspicious cash-intensive businesses that appear to ignore the rules. In some areas, residents see rows of shops that rarely seem busy, but somehow continue to operate year after year.