From today's Times letters page

Threat to racing

Sir, Treasury proposals to merge betting and gaming taxes into a single “remote betting and gaming duty” (RBGD) would have devastating consequences for the horseracing industry, with a severe impact on the tens of thousands of livelihoods and businesses it supports across the country.

Horseracing is part of Britain’s national identity and a cornerstone of regional economies nationwide. It contributes £4.1 billion to the UK economy each year, supports 85,000 jobs, and generates £300 million in annual tax revenue. Horseracing drives investment in towns, cities and rural areas, supports a thriving visitor economy, and underpins a network of supply chains and small businesses across the country, from hospitality and fashion to transport and media. It is also an indispensable part of the social fabric of our communities, giving places a sense of identity, uniting people of all backgrounds and using the power of sport to transform lives in villages, towns, cities and rural areas.

However, all of this is now at risk. Treasury proposals to tax racing bets at the same rate as other forms of gambling would seriously undermine the sport’s financial viability. Doing so would discourage bookmakers from promoting racing, reduce revenue from the horserace betting levy and threaten the sport’s future.

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Analysis shows that a RBGD harmonised at 21 per cent would cost British racing £66 million annually, jeopardising thousands of jobs, investment, and the wider economic ecosystem that depends on the sport. Higher rates would be even more devastating, with a 40 per cent RBGD hitting racing to the tune of over £160 million annually and resulting in more than 2,000 direct racing jobs lost in the first year alone.

We are deeply concerned about the broader implications of these proposals. This is not just about Britain’s second largest spectator sport, for which it is world renowned; it’s about the thousands of local businesses it sustains and the workers and communities whose livelihoods depend on a thriving racing industry. From trainers, breeders and stable staff to racecourse employees, hoteliers, local pubs, taxi drivers and small independent fashion shops, racing is indispensable to local economies in rural areas and towns in every corner of the UK. The proposed changes would irreversibly damage this, destroying our businesses, hollowing out local infrastructure, and putting at risk thousands of good, local jobs in parts of the country where alternative opportunities are often limited. The government’s proposals would do lasting damage to a major British industry, harm rural communities, and carry serious unintended consequences. It is not too late to rethink the approach and we strongly urge the chancellor to do so.

Paul Nicholls OBE, trainer; Oisin Murphy, five-time champion Flat jockey; Michael Owen, owner and former Premier League footballer; Baroness Harding of Winscombe, senior steward, The Jockey Club; Brant Dunshea, chief executive, British Horseracing Authority; Lord Lloyd Webber, breeder, Watership Down Stud; Lady Lloyd Webber, breeder, Watership Down Stud; John Gosden OBE, trainer; Nicky Henderson OBE, trainer; Andrew Balding, trainer; Ralph Beckett, trainer; Dan Skelton, trainer; William Haggas, trainer; Karl Burke, trainer; Nick Alexander, trainer; Lucinda Russell OBE, trainer; Michael Scudamore, trainer; Philip Hobbs, trainer; Edward Bethell, trainer; Jeremy Scott, trainer; Phillip Makin, trainer; Thady Gosden, trainer; Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer; Robert Walford, trainer; Katy Price, trainer; Jamie Snowden, trainer; Matt Sheppard, trainer; Dean Ivory, trainer; Nikki Evans, trainer; Nick Scholfield, trainer; Andrea O’Keeffe, trainer; Jedd O’Keeffe, trainer; Dylan Cunha, trainer; Des Donovan, trainer; Kerry Lee, trainer; Herbie Evans, trainer; Grace Harris, trainer; Michael Dods, trainer; Neil Mechie, trainer; Ruth Carr, trainer; Mike Smith, trainer; Rachel Cook, trainer; Alison Hamilton, trainer; Charlie Longsdon, trainer; Conrad Allen, trainer; Rod Millman, trainer; Peter Scudamore, trainer; David Dennis, trainer; John Flint, trainer; Adrian Nicholls, trainer; Fiona Shaw, trainer; Ed de Giles, trainer; Ed Dunlop, trainer; Anthony Brittain, trainer; Ben Clarke, trainer; Venetia Williams, trainer; Andy Irvine, trainer; Mat Nicholls, trainer; Max Young, trainer; Christopher Mason, trainer; David O’Meara, trainer; Rebecca Menzies, trainer; Craig Lidster, trainer; Barry Murtagh, trainer; Sue Murtagh, trainer; Kevin Philipart de Foy, trainer; Amanda Perrett, trainer; Sandy Thomson, trainer; James Horton, trainer; Keiran Burke, trainer; Nick Gifford, trainer; Stuart Williams, trainer; Lucy Wadham, trainer; Ilka Gansera-Leveque, trainer; James Ferguson, trainer; Mick Appleby, trainer; Henry Oliver, trainer; Dave Weston, trainer; David Loughnane, trainer; Lawrence Mullaney, trainer; Chris Honour, trainer; Eve Johnson Houghton, trainer; Diana Grissell, trainer; Thomas Faulkner, trainer; Suzzanne France, trainer; Patrick Chamings, trainer; Ross Burdon, trainer; Sandy Forster, trainer; Jo Foster, trainer; Daniel Kubler, trainer; Claire Kubler, trainer; Anthony Honeyball, trainer; Richard Fahey, trainer; Simon Dow, trainer; Iain Jardine, trainer; Johnson White, trainer; Christine Dunnett, trainer; Tom Lacey, trainer; Peter Chapple-Hyam, trainer; Jose Santos, trainer; Jennie Candlish, trainer; Peter Niven, trainer; William Knight, trainer; Anna-Lisa Balding, assistant trainer; Alex Hales, trainer; Jack Morland, trainer; James Tate, trainer; Harry Fry, trainer; Guy Woods, trainer; Cynthia Woods, trainer; Max Comley, trainer; Oliver Greenall, trainer; Josh Guerriero, trainer; Tim Reed, trainer; Craig Benton, trainer; George Baker, trainer; Emma Lavelle, trainer; Terry Kent, trainer; Mark Usher, trainer; Brian Meehan, trainer; Susan Corbett, trainer; Toby Lawes, trainer; Julie Camacho, trainer; Steve Brown, trainer; Sarah Humphrey, trainer; Tony Humphrey, trainer; Simon Crisford, trainer; Ed Crisford, trainer; Chris Grant, trainer; Sue Grant, trainer; Jean McGregor, trainer; Kim Bailey, trainer; William de Best Turner, trainer; Tom Ellis, trainer; Bryan Smart, trainer; Alan King, trainer; Jim Boyle, trainer; Tony Newcombe, trainer; Kevin Frost, trainer; Tom Clover, trainer Tim Easterby, trainer; Denis Coakley, trainer; Bernard Llewellyn, trainer; Mark Pattinson, trainer; Harry Charlton, trainer; David Pipe, trainer; Seamus Mullins, trainer; David Rees, trainer; Henry Daly, trainer; Mark Loughnane, trainer; Clare Loughnane, racing secretary; Richard Mitford-Slade, trainer; Charlie Hills, trainer; James Fanshawe, trainer; Joe Tizzard, trainer; Marcus Tregoning, trainer; Suzy Smith, trainer; Jim Goldie, trainer; George Boughey, trainer; Stef Cassidy, trainer; Nigel Tinkler, trainer; Martin Todhunter, trainer; Gary Moore, trainer; Josh Moore, trainer; Ben Case, trainer; Ann Duffield, trainer; Ben Haslam, trainer; Lydia Richards, trainer; John O’Shea, trainer; Laura Horsfall, trainer; Steph Hollinshead, trainer; Sue Gardner, trainer; Edward Smyth-Osbourne, trainer; Brian Ellison, trainer; Deborah Cole, trainer; Sam England, trainer; Richard Phillips, trainer; Jonjo O’Neill, trainer; AJ O’Neill, trainer; Joe O’Neill, racing manager; Jacqueline O’Neill, racing director; Mark Hoad, trainer; Micky Hammond, trainer; Tony Carroll, trainer; Phil Middleton, trainer; George Margarson, trainer; Roger Varian, trainer; Lawney Hill, trainer; James Moffatt, trainer; Hugo Palmer, trainer; Wilf Storey, trainer; Tom Gretton, trainer; Laura Morgan, trainer; Jamie Osborne, trainer; Dianne Sayer, trainer; Robert Cowell, trainer; Liam Bailey, trainer; Ian Williams, trainer; Gemma Tutty, trainer; David Barron, trainer; Nicola Barron, trainer; Rob Summers, trainer; Ian Duncan, trainer; John Norton, trainer; Ben Pauling, trainer; Richard Hughes, trainer; Hayley Burton, trainer; Shelley Dwyer, trainer; Martyn Meade, trainer; Tom Dascombe, trainer; Martin Keighley, trainer; Charlie Fellowes, trainer; Michael Wigham, trainer; Stan Moore, trainer; Georgina Browne, trainer; Clive Cox, trainer; Hughie Morrison, trainer; George Scott, trainer; Waren Greatrex, trainer; Syd Hosie, trainer; Simon Waugh, trainer; Nick Kent, trainer; Daniel O’Brien, trainer; Stuart Kittow, trainer; Linda Perratt, trainer; Thomas Gallagher, trainer; Ben Lund, trainer; Mike Murphy, trainer; Linda Blackford, trainer; Geoff Oldroyd, trainer; Wayne Lukas, trainer; Fergal O’Brien, trainer; Brian Rothwell, trainer; Alan Jones, trainer; John Berry, trainer; Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer; Neil King, trainer; David Bridgwater, trainer; Michael Chapman, trainer; Henry Candy, trainer; Claire Dyson, trainer; John Quinn, trainer; Peter Scudamore MBE, assistant trainer and former champion Jumps jockey; Ryan Moore, three-time champion Flat jockey; Sean Bowen, champion Jumps jockey; Brian Hughes, three-time champion Jumps jockey; Harry Skelton, former champion Jumps jockey; Tom Marquand, Flat jockey; Hollie Doyle, Flat jockey; Rossa Ryan, Flat jockey; Luke Morris, Flat jockey; Paul Mulrennan, Flat jockey; James Doyle, Flat jockey; JJ O’Neill, Jumps jockey; Kieran Shoemark, Flat jockey; Saffie Osborne, Flat jockey; Lily Pinchin, Jumps jockey; Paul O’Brien, Jumps jockey; John Blackburn, owner; David Olver, owner; Patricia Thompson, breeder, Cheveley Park Stud; Richard Thompson, breeder, Cheveley Park Stud; Chris Richardson, stud manager, Cheveley Park Stud; Peter Stanley, breeder, New England Stud; Julian Richmond-Watson, breeder, Lawn Stud; Graham Smith-Bernal, breeder, Newsells Park Stud; Julian Dollar, general manager, Newsells Park Stud; Simon Marsh, general manager, Watership Down Stud; Alice Plunkett, broadcaster; Rishi Persad, broadcaster; Lord Allen of Kensington CBE, chair, British Horseracing Authority; Jim Mullen, group chief executive, The Jockey Club; Martin Cruddace, chief executive, Arena Racing Company; David Armstrong, chief executive, The Racecourse Association; Wilf Walsh, chair, The Racecourse Association; Charlie Parker, president, Racehorse Owners’ Association; Louise Norman, chief executive, Racehorse Owners’ Association; Paul Johnson, chief executive, National Trainers Federation; Naomi Mellor, chief executive, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association; Philip Newton, chair, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association; Nick Attenborough, chair, Professional Jockeys Association; Dale Gibson, racing director, Professional Jockeys Association and former Flat jockey; George McGrath, chief executive, National Association of Racing Staff; Delly Innes, chief executive, Scottish Racing; Pepita Harris, chair, Carlisle Racecourse; Nick Bannister, chair, Racing Welfare & Haydock Park Racecourse; Julian Taylor, chair, Aintree Racecourse; Sue Lucas, chair, Market Rasen Racecourse; Jeremy Bradbeer, chair, Nottingham Racecourse; Nick Wright, chair, Huntingdon Racecourse; Dan Richmond-Watson, chair, Warwick Racecourse; Matthew Lohn, chair, Newmarket Racecourses; William Sporborg, chair, Jockey Club Estates; Teddy Grimthorpe, chair, The National Stud; Richard Fuller, chair, Kempton Park Racecourse; Nick Mustoe, chair, Sandown Park Racecourse; Brian Finch, chair, Epsom Downs Racecourse; Martin St Quinton, chair, Cheltenham Racecourse Duncan Sykes, chair, Exeter Racecourse; David Wiggin, chair, Wincanton Racecourse; Phil Bell, regional director, Arena Racing Company; Mark Spincer, managing director of racing, Arena Racing Company; Nick Mills, chief executive, Racecourse Media Group; Alan Macdonald, chair, Ayr Racecourse; David Brown, chief executive, Ayr Racecourse; Charles Maxsted MBE, chair, Beverley Racecourse; Sally Iggulden, chief executive, Beverely Racecourse; Hannah Chree, executive director, Bath Racecourse; Paul Ellison, executive director, Brighton Racecourse; Lord Cavendish of Furness, owner and chair, Cartmel Racecourse; Geraldine McKay, director of racing, Cartmel Racecourse; James Sanderson, chief executive, Catterick & Thirsk Racecourse; Neil Graham, director of racing, Chelmsford City Racecourse; Luke Admans, general manager, Chepstow Racecourse; Ian O’Doherty, chair, Chester Racecourse; Louise Stewart, chief executive, Chester Racecourse; Rachel Harwood, executive director, Doncaster Racecourse; Sam Bullard, chair, Fakenham Racecourse; David Hunter, chief executive, Fakenham Racecourse; Kevin Hire, general manager, Ffos Las Racecourse; Guy Pridie, executive director, Fontwell Park Racecourse; Ben Warn, chair, Go Racing In Yorkshire; Charlotte Russell, general manager, Go Racing In Yorkshire; James Crespi, racecourse director, Goodwood Racecourse; Ashley Moon, managing director, Hamilton Park Racecourse; Camilla Esling, general manager, Hereford Racecourse; Robert Whitelock, racecourse manager, Hexham Racecourse; Mark Hunter, chair, Kelso Racecourse; Jonathan Garratt, managing director, Kelso Racecourse; Marc Nelson, chair, Leicester Racecourse; Martin Wales, executive director, Lingfield Park Racecourse; Bill Farnsworth, racecourse director, Musselburgh Racecourse; Dominic Burke, chair, Newbury Racecourse; Shaun Hinds, chief executive, Newbury Racecourse; Paul Elliott, executive director, Newcastle Racecourse; George Welch, co-chair, Newton Abbot Racecourse; Peter Austin, co-chair, Newton Abbot Racecourse; John Baker, chief executive, Newton Abbot Racecourse; Matthew Taylor, racing director, Perth Racecourse; Morag Connaghan, director of operations, Perth Racecourse; Peter Savill, chair, Plumpton Racecourse; Tom Savill, director, Plumpton Racecourse; William Bethell, chair, Pontefract Racecourse; Jon Mullin, chief executive, Pontefract Racecourse; Norman Gundill MBE, director, Pontefract Racecourse; John F Sanderson OBE, chair, Redcar and Wetherby Racecourses; Amy Fair, racecourse manager, Redcar Racecourse; Lord Margadale, chair, Salisbury Racecourse; Jeremy Martin, chief executive, Salisbury Racecourse; Emma Gray, general manager, Sedgefield Racecourse; Mark Clayton, executive director, Southwell Racecourse; Michael Rowe, chair, Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse; Ilona Barnett, racecourse director, Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse; David Griffin, chair, Taunton Racecourse; Robert Young, managing director, Taunton Racecourse; Brian Barrass, executive director, Uttoxeter Racecourse; Jonjo Sanderson, chief executive, Wetherby Racecourse; Jimmy Wallace, executive director, Royal Windsor Racecourse; Anthony Gledhill, executive director, Wolverhampton Racecourse; Michael Thomas, general manager, Worcester Racecourse; Tom Pennington, general manager, Yarmouth Racecourse; Bridget Guerin, chair, York Racecourse; William Derby, chief executive, York Racecourse

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