'Vote Labour' plea in tax-threatened zone

The film, The Road Ahead, was launched on Monday and features actors Sean Pertwee, seen walking through the North York Moors, Staithes and Robin Hood's Bay, and a voiceover from David Tennant encouraging people to vote Labour.

But with hundreds of self-catering accommodation businesses in the area under threat from Treasury proposals to scrap tax privileges for holiday home owners, the decision to film there has been slammed.

Coun Tim Lawn, who rents out the house at Littlebeck, near Sleights, and is also set to be hit by the tax raid.

She said: "I was quite amused when I saw they had chosen my house.

"But we are all so worried about the effect the tax changes will have on businesses and rather than telling us what they will do to help rural areas, they are just using us as a backdrop."

Ena Dent, chair of the Tourism Association of North Yorkshire, said: "I was amazed. We are running businesses here that are at serious risk from their plans and all they send up is a film crew."

Labour shelved the plans for the election but will bring back the proposals if re-elected.