MP calls for special supermarket tax

Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman accused the big chains of "sucking the life" out of their catchment areas.

He asked Commons leader Harriet Harman: "Could we have a debate on the way these monopolistic supermarkets squeeze the life out of communities?

"Couldn't we have a 5 per cent tax on supermarkets that was dedicated to investing in social enterprise and the third sector and charities in their locality? In that way something would be given back by these companies that suck the life out of these communities."

Ms Harman said: "I think you raise an important point which relates to town centres, which relates to monopolies, which relates to corporate responsibility and corporate citizenship of the supermarkets."