MP attacks ‘internet shopping 
hypocrites’

Andrew Percy, the Brigg and Goole MP, spoke out during a Parliamentary debate on the future of the traditional high street.

Even though Amazon has a substantial warehouse in Mr Percy’s constituency, the Conservative MP noted the double standards of those who are campaigning to save traditional shopping areas from the internet revolution that has transformed retail spending habits.

“We, as consumers, are hypocrites when it comes to our high streets. We all love them, but how many of us have recently ordered online?” he told MPs.

“How many of us have recently ordered from Amazon? The arms are not going up, but I have no doubt that I am not the only one here to have ordered from Amazon in recent months. Of course, Amazon does employ local people, but we have to understand that we are all slightly hypocritical.”

Mr Percy challenged councils to be smarter about their use of resources, and to look at the scope for free parking and the creation of wi-fi hotspots to encourage more visitors.

However Martin Vickers, the Conservative MP for Cleethorpes, says the answer is preventing communities from being blighted by empty shop premises.

“We all recognise that, with changing consumer patterns, there are too many retail units, or former retail units, in every high street and every parade of shops in every town up and down the country,” he said.

“I appreciate that the Government are doing some things in terms of planning to help with the reclassification – change of use, and so on – but what is needed is a scheme to regenerate those properties, to bring them back into use and to prevent the dereliction that plagues so many of our high streets.”