As industry speculation mounts concerning exactly what tax raids are going to be contained in the Chancellor’s Red Box, Bacta members will have access to the earliest Budget analysis when they gather for the trade association’s Parliamentary Reception taking place on Budget Day and on the 27th November for the Bacta Convention – the first to take place under the Presidency of Joseph Cullis. With key notes from Andrew Rhodes and the possible attendance of the Minister it could be one of the most significant Conventions of recent years.
Bacta members are being invited to participate in what promises to be one of the trade association’s most significant Annual Conventions in recent history.
Taking place on 27th November, the day after Rachel Reeves presents her Autumn Budget, the Convention will provide a timely opportunity for members to receive a deep dive analysis of the implications of the tax, borrowing, and spending plans which will have been announced by the Chancellor less than 24 hours earlier.
In what could also be the most influential keynote line-up to have addressed Convention, Bacta has confirmed the attendance of the Gambling Commission’s CEO and Commissioner Andrew Rhodes, with an invitation to Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross pending.
Joseph Cullis, who will be addressing his first Convention since becoming Bacta President, said: “Rachel Reeves’ first Budget delivered a record £40bn of tax rises and, although she said at the time that she was not looking to repeat this in 2025, Bacta has been working intensively with its political team to explain how an increase in MGD would result in a commercial bloodbath for our members, the people that they employ, and the communities that they serve.
“A crucial argument that we have been advancing during our engagement with politicians, including at the Labour Party Conference in September, is that ours is a unique industry in that it cannot pass on any additional costs to its customers. This means that tax rises come straight off the bottom line, compounding the very real and stark challenges of running a business such as an AGC.”
He added: “Andrew Rhodes, who Bacta enjoys a highly positive relationship with, will be attending his second Convention in three years, and I am hopeful that the Minister, who I have met on three occasions in recent months, will join Andrew as a keynote speaker.
Whilst our primary focus is on industry-specific fiscal measures, Rachel Reeves’ announcement will clearly have implications for all business owners, which we will be addressing at Convention courtesy of a ‘Budget Deep Dive’ setting out what the measures mean for Bacta members.”
The Bacta Convention will also feature two interactive panels comprising of National Council members alongside the MSO team, as well as a panel of external experts who will provide commentary and analysis of how the broader social, political, and economic landscape impacts policy.
Bacta members will receive an official invitation to attend the Parliamentary Reception scheduled for 26th November, and the Bacta Convention which is being held at One Birdcage Walk the following day.
Unique stretching points
Joseph Cullis said……. “A crucial argument that we have been advancing during our engagement with politicians, including at the Labour Party Conference in September, is that ours is a unique industry in that it cannot pass on any additional costs to its customers. This means that tax rises come straight off the bottom line, compounding the very real and stark challenges of running a business such as an AGC……
