'Red wall' Tory MPs urge Sunak to cut business rates for shops

Northern MPs tell chancellor his budget should protect high street and tax online retailers such as Amazon

Rishi Sunak is under increasing pressure from Conservative red wall" MPs to go beyond existing support for the UK economy in Wednesday's budget and cut taxes for thousands of retailers.

MPs across the political spectrum are increasingly uneasy that he may introduce income tax rises for middle earners, and the chancellor is facing calls from 45 northern Tories to make a bold move to reduce business rates".