Councils to get more powers to stop vape and betting shops, PM announces

New vape shops will require planning permission and councils will get more powers to stop betting shops, under government plans aimed at improving high streets. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said town centres had been "hollowed out" "for many people, the high streets they grew up with have become unrecognisable". BBC News has exposed organised crime on high streets across the country, revealing shops selling illegal cigarettes and vapes, selling cannabis and cocaine, enabling illegal working and suspected money-laundering. The Conservatives and Reform said the proposals would lead to "more empty" shops, without tax relief for other small businesses. Burnham said the measures will give councils more power to control what businesses open in town centres. The proposals come as the prime minister embarks on a tour of the UK, with Downing Street saying he will be in "listening mode" during his visits as he works on a "10-year plan to bring back hope". Burnham said "the rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for". He added: "That's not on. I said we would improve Britain's high streets, and that's exactly what we are starting to do. "We're putting communities back in control and giving local people a real say over what opens on their high street." In response to the announcement, Conservative shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly said "once-treasured shops" have been replaced by a "smattering of rogue operators". But Sir James said increases to business rates "empty units for whoever is left standing to fill". He said: "Unless the government takes steps to support the high streets and hard-working businesses, Labour's increases in planning regulation will just mean more empty and boarded up shops." For the Liberal Democrats, home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson said Burnham's plan "could go up in a puff of smoke" unless he toughens up powers to "properly crack down on cowboy vape shops and dodgy operators". His calls included asking the prime minister to scrap the business rates system. Reform UK economy spokesman Robert Jenrick said: "Until this government scraps the jobs tax, addresses sky-high business rates and provides real, fundamental support for high street businesses, this policy will only create even more empty shops on our high streets." A Green Party spokesperson said the government's proposals "look like more inadequate tinkering and reannouncements". They called on the prime minister to "go further and allow councils to introduce rent controls for small businesses".