This Tory mayor proudly declared he’ll have nothing to do with Rachel Reeves’ ‘tourist tax’ but it wasn’t the mega flex he thought it was
Tory mayor and Boris Johnson buddy Ben Houchen has let it be known that he will having noting to do with his London counterpart Sadiq Khan’s tourist tax.
Houchen, who became a life peer in Johnson’s resignation honours, is currently the Conservative mayor for Tees Valley, returned with a reduced majority last year.
He spotted this story about a ‘tourist tax’ on Budget Day on Wednesday …
Scoop w/@WillStandring: Reeves will allow Sadiq Khan + other English mayors to impose a “tourist tax” on overnight stays
Announcement coming today. Rate is subject to consultation but expected to be around £2/night on both hotel and Airbnb-style stayshttps://t.co/HhEJymuexv
— Ellen Milligan (@EllenAMilligan) November 25, 2025
… and proudly declared he’ll be having nothing to do with that.
I won’t be using this power. There will be no tourist tax in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool for as long as I'm Mayor.
Thanks, but no thanks. https://t.co/GSuRucD80N
— Ben Houchen (@BenHouchen) November 25, 2025
Except it’s fair to say it wasn’t quite the flex he thought it was. Because – with all due respect to his constituents – this.
1.
Not being funny, but who in their right mind, given all the wonderful tourist spots in the UK, are choosing to go there?
— DiscreetDesignsUK (@DiscreetDesUK) November 25, 2025
2.
This is the funniest tweet I've seen in ages, and I live here. https://t.co/MIrb3tks6t
— Michael Glasper (@MichaelCGlasper) November 25, 2025
3.
Don’t you have to actually have a tourist trade in the first place for this to be a principled stand rather than irrelevant grandstanding
— ski (@sagan_fan01) November 25, 2025
4.
Summer holiday back on! https://t.co/T8iA2UdIDP
— Patrick Sturgis (@patricksturg) November 25, 2025
5.
Nobody visits any of those places as a tourist, prisoner maybe but never a tourist
— Wright All Along (@mr_wright_54321) November 25, 2025
6.
Tourists don’t go on holiday to Hartlepool, Ben https://t.co/s7RsZrQ9aC pic.twitter.com/rCnj9orYH0
— Matthew Leggett (@RealMattLeggett) November 26, 2025
7.
No fucker goes there do they, I've never heard people say "fancy a weekend in Hartlepool"
— JB (@Lfcjay1892) November 25, 2025
8.
This is absolutely amazing levels of delusion it’s actually impressive. https://t.co/P0bHonS1Wd
— Liam Kelly (@WordsFromLiam) November 25, 2025
9.
Is that because there is nothing in it for you to profit from?
— gothel (@HelenGothel) November 25, 2025
This seems sensible?
Honestly baffled by anyone's opposition to a tourist tax.
I've been paying them on the continent for years. It's pennies and goes towards ensuring the area I visit looks nice and runs well.
An absolute win win.
— Bradley Wall ️ (@BWallArthur) November 25, 2025
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