Torsten slams ‘shoplift tax’ on Swansea businesses

Torsten Bell, MP for Swansea West, has used a major interview to slam the ‘shoplift tax’ on Swansea businesses.

Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Torsten argued that the record investment in public services announced by Rachel Reeves in Labour’s autumn Budget would boost economic growth.

“The reason why the budget is pro-growth is because you cannot have a failing state and a growing economy,” he told the Guardian. “I’ll give you a concrete example: I walk into a Sainsbury’s in Uplands, in Swansea and there are security guards on the door. Why are there security guards on the door? Because there isn’t a functioning response to shoplifting, right? That is a retail tax. We are taxing retail to pay for the failing state – and that is what we are turning around.”

Turning to the impact of the struggling NHS, he said: “It is like a sickness tax on every business in the country if their workers are off because they are not being treated. One thing I’ve definitely learned from six months as an MP: every Saturday I meet people who say, ‘My health is affecting everything else in my life,’.”

Torsten went on to emphasise Labour’s view that “the status quo is economically and morally bankrupt. And so, we’re changing it.” He cited Labour policies on workers’ rights, protecting private renters from eviction, signing off long-delayed solar and wind projects, and the chancellor’s determination to “get stuff built” in the face of objections.

Writing on social media, Torsten said Labour is “in the business of changing the status quo, not defending it.” He said “the real risk is continuing as we are.”