A row exploded on Twitter this week between Tory policy guru Phillip Blond and right-wing political blogger Paul Staines (aka Guido Fawkes), following the revelation that a report calling for new taxes on large out-of-town shops was funded by the ACS.
"The Right to Retail Can localism save Britain's small retailers?" was prepared by influential think tank ResPublica, which was founded by Blond. It proposed new rates on large out-of-town shops that would then be used to offset cuts in business rates for small retailers.
But the ACS was quick to dismiss suggestions that the revelation compromised the contents of the report. "Think tank reports are all funded by one group or another. We don't control what they say in it. We just ask them to look at an issue," said ACS public affairs director Shane Brennan.
While he acknowledged that the proposed new rates have attracted the most attention, Brennan emphasised that they were just a small part of a wider report.
"There are 11 points in total, including the community interest clause, competition policy, the grocery ombudsdman, planning policy and more" said Brennan. "We are delighted with the amount of attention the report has been given already by various political commentators, and hopefully it will create opportunity for more debates on all of these issues over the co
"The Right to Retail Can localism save Britain's small retailers?" was prepared by influential think tank ResPublica, which was founded by Blond. It proposed new rates on large out-of-town shops that would then be used to offset cuts in business rates for small retailers.
But the ACS was quick to dismiss suggestions that the revelation compromised the contents of the report. "Think tank reports are all funded by one group or another. We don't control what they say in it. We just ask them to look at an issue," said ACS public affairs director Shane Brennan.
While he acknowledged that the proposed new rates have attracted the most attention, Brennan emphasised that they were just a small part of a wider report.
"There are 11 points in total, including the community interest clause, competition policy, the grocery ombudsdman, planning policy and more" said Brennan. "We are delighted with the amount of attention the report has been given already by various political commentators, and hopefully it will create opportunity for more debates on all of these issues over the co
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