PRESSURE is growing to allow lower passenger duty at airports in the North after Scotland was given the power to cut the tax.

Labour MPs and Leeds-Bradford Airport joined calls for action to prevent Scottish airports grabbing airlines and passengers by undercutting.

Some called for regional rates of air passenger duty, allowing a future Chancellor to slash rates in the North in response to any tax cut by the Holyrood parliament.

Gerry Sutcliffe, Bradford South MP, said: “There should be lower APD as this will affect the competitiveness of regional airports.”

Leeds-Bradford Airport expects Scotland to “reduce or remove APD” within a few years, which would bring the issue to a head. A spokesman said: “If APD remains in the rest of the UK, much lower levels for the regions would be helpful. We support the removal of APD.”