To: Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Save British High Streets and retail

Stop the decline of Britain's high streets and brands and reform the entire system to benefit local communities rather than the likes of Jeff Bezos

Why is this important?

Our Vision

We believe in a society where communities thrive, small businesses are empowered, and all companies—regardless of size or platform—contribute fairly to the public good. This manifesto calls for a coordinated national response to three interconnected crises:

  • The decline of the UK’s high streets

  • The unchecked dominance of digital monopolies

  • A broken, outdated tax system that favours the powerful over the local

1. Revitalising the UK's High Streets

Our towns and cities are hollowing out. The collapse of local retail is not just an economic issue—it’s a cultural and social crisis. We call for

Business Rates Reform

  • Transition from property-based taxation to a fairer system based on profitability and turnover.

  • Introduce exemptions or reductions for independent and community-serving businesses.

 Community Ownership and Pop-Up Models

  • Legislate for councils to facilitate temporary leases and pop-up usage of vacant retail units.

  • Expand access to community ownership schemes and local enterprise zones.

Local Loyalty and Footfall Initiatives

  • Create government-backed incentives for loyalty schemes that reward local shopping.

  • Empower Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to launch cultural and commercial events that increase footfall.

2. Regulating Digital Commerce for the Public Good

While digital innovation should be welcomed, it must not come at the cost of fairness or sustainability. We propose:


A Balanced Digital Marketplace

  • Apply enhanced digital services taxes to large online retailers operating in the UK.

  • Require online platforms to provide transparency on vendor fees, search prioritisation, and data practices.


Digital Integration Support for Small Businesses

  • Government-funded training and grants for local retailers to build e-commerce, marketing, and logistical capabilities.

Consumer Choice and Preservation

  • Enforce digital consumer rights that guarantee fair access, refund protections, and the long-term preservation of digital purchases.

3. Reforming the UK’s Corporate Tax System

When multinational tech and retail companies pay less tax than the average high street shop, reform is not optional—it is essential. We demand:


Corporate Tax Fairness

  • Introduce mandatory country-by-country reporting so corporations must publicly disclose where profits are made and where taxes are paid.

  • Expand HMRC's powers to pursue aggressive tax avoidance schemes and profit shifting.


Expand the Digital Services Tax

  • Increase the digital services tax rate and broaden its scope to include e-commerce logistics and cloud infrastructure services.

  • Create a turnover-based levy for online giants operating in the UK to supplement or replace business rates.


Reinstate Equity in the System

  • Review and rebalance the entire tax structure to reduce pressure on physical retail and ensure all companies contribute proportionally to the economy and infrastructure they benefit from.

Our Call to Action

We call upon:

  • The UK Government to legislate and lead a new era of retail and fiscal fairness.

  • Local Authorities to innovate with flexible leasing, event planning, and support for small enterprises.

  • Consumers and Citizens to support local businesses, demand transparency, and stand against corporate excess.

Join Us

The time for passive acceptance is over. The decline of our high streets, the unchecked power of digital monopolies, and the erosion of tax fairness demand action. We call on all citizens, policymakers, and local leaders to join us in reviving the real, rebuilding community economies, and reclaiming control from the forces of detachment and inequality.

Among other things, the government should:

Implement a Stronger Digital Services Tax

  • Expand the current 2% tax on digital revenues to more platforms, and raise it where appropriate.

  • Make it enforceable and non-optional—companies should not be able to shift their profits abroad.


Business Rates Reform

  • Shift tax burdens away from physical property-based rates.

  • Introduce a turnover-based levy for large online retailers that levels the playing field.


Transparent Corporate Tax Reporting

  • Mandate public country-by-country reporting of revenue, profits, and taxes paid.

  • Companies doing business in the UK must show clearly what they earn and what they contribute.


Close Tax Avoidance Loopholes

  • Campaign for HMRC to be given stronger powers to tackle transfer pricing abuse and artificial profit shifting.