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| Ed Miliband backs local say on High Street shops | Ed Miliband backs local say on High Street shops |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Labour will give local people more say over which shops appear in their town centres, Ed Miliband is to pledge. | Labour will give local people more say over which shops appear in their town centres, Ed Miliband is to pledge. |
| The party leader is expected to say councils should be allowed to prevent shops opening, such as payday lenders and bookmakers, which do not have a community's backing. | |
| He will say he believes in "local solutions to local problems". | He will say he believes in "local solutions to local problems". |
| Mr Miliband will be speaking in Ipswich at the launch of Labour's local election campaign. | Mr Miliband will be speaking in Ipswich at the launch of Labour's local election campaign. |
| The poll will take place on 2 May, with elections in more than 200 local authorities in England and one in Wales. There will also be two mayoral elections. | The poll will take place on 2 May, with elections in more than 200 local authorities in England and one in Wales. There will also be two mayoral elections. |
| The Labour leader will say the policy pledge forms one of five key election messages his party will be campaigning on. | The Labour leader will say the policy pledge forms one of five key election messages his party will be campaigning on. |
| The others include: Cancelling the cut to the 50% income tax rate for top earners; introducing a mansion tax on properties worth over £2m to fund a return of the 10p tax rate; reforming the energy market; and cracking down on rising train fares. | |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is also launching his party's campaign. | Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is also launching his party's campaign. |
| Speaking in Cornwall, he is expected to say that a vote for the Lib Dems "is a vote for a party which - wherever we're in power - does its best to spread the burden of austerity fairly, investing in jobs and help for hard-pressed families". | |
| The Conservatives will launch their campaign next week. | The Conservatives will launch their campaign next week. |
| 'Heart of communities' | 'Heart of communities' |
| In his speech, Mr Miliband will express concerns that people currently lack the power to influence which shops appear on their local High Streets, highlighting the "spread" of payday lenders as a particular problem. | In his speech, Mr Miliband will express concerns that people currently lack the power to influence which shops appear on their local High Streets, highlighting the "spread" of payday lenders as a particular problem. |
| He will say: "Everyone here today knows how important our High Streets are to towns and cities across Britain. They're not just the places we go to shop. | He will say: "Everyone here today knows how important our High Streets are to towns and cities across Britain. They're not just the places we go to shop. |
| "They're the heart of our local communities. But today our High Streets are changing - and often not for the better. | "They're the heart of our local communities. But today our High Streets are changing - and often not for the better. |
| "Take an example. One of the fastest growing businesses on the High Street are the payday lenders, sometimes charging extortionate rates of interest. | "Take an example. One of the fastest growing businesses on the High Street are the payday lenders, sometimes charging extortionate rates of interest. |
| "In hard times, it is no wonder people turn to them. But often they just engulf people in debts that they cannot pay." | "In hard times, it is no wonder people turn to them. But often they just engulf people in debts that they cannot pay." |
| Labour would introduce a new planning class so councils can put some premises in a separate category. This would allow them greater flexibility to refuse permission and respond to local concerns. | |
| "Too many councils are finding that they don't have the real power to stand up for local people," Mr Miliband will say. | |
| "But that is what politics is supposed to be about: Standing up for those without power and giving power to them. | "But that is what politics is supposed to be about: Standing up for those without power and giving power to them. |
| "Currently if a bank branch closes down, there's nothing a council can do if a payday loan shop wants to move in and open up in the same place. Even if there's another lender next door. That can't be right." | "Currently if a bank branch closes down, there's nothing a council can do if a payday loan shop wants to move in and open up in the same place. Even if there's another lender next door. That can't be right." |
| The government set up a £10m High Street Innovation Fund following a review by retail expert Mary Portas on how to re-energise England's high streets. | The government set up a £10m High Street Innovation Fund following a review by retail expert Mary Portas on how to re-energise England's high streets. |
| The money has been awarded to 100 local authorities, although there have been concerns that the money has not yet been spent by councils. | The money has been awarded to 100 local authorities, although there have been concerns that the money has not yet been spent by councils. |
| The government says it has also given local authorities new powers to offer business rate discounts and has simplified planning restrictions to allow new businesses to set up in town centres. | The government says it has also given local authorities new powers to offer business rate discounts and has simplified planning restrictions to allow new businesses to set up in town centres. |