UKHospitality launches election toolkit

UKHospitality has launched a new election toolkit which aims to help the on-trade to invite prospective parliamentary candidates to visit their establishments.

Through the tool, operators can access a template letter which will allow them to request a visit from prospective MPs, with contact details provided for local candidates in their venue’s constituency.

An interactive map reveals the economic impact of hospitality in each parliamentary constituency alongside how many on-trade venues there are in the area and the levels of employment provided by the trade.

The news comes as the trade body has also written to every parliamentary candidate and highlighted its key policies for the on-trade, which includes VAT reform, its long-running call on business rates, employment and staffing costs as well as planning law.

With polling suggesting a big shift in MPs across the political spectrum, as well as a large number of current MPs announcing they will be standing down after the next election, UK Hospitality stated that there will be a record number of fresh MPs in the newly formed parliament on 5 July.

The body that it wanted the new MPs to “be the hospitality sector’s champions” and that the “relationship starts with you and your business”.

It said: “We want as many political candidates to visit hospitality venues across the country as possible, as part of the general election campaign and hear about the vital contribution our sector plays in their constituency.”