BRADFORD East MP Imran Hussain has issued further calls to HMRC to pause and reconsider its plans to close its Bradford offices and move the jobs to Leeds.

If the plan goes ahead it will see a regional hub set up in Leeds with 2,000 jobs lost from Bradford.

Mr Hussain has said in Parliament the plans will cause Bradford to lose out from a reduction in business rates, less spending in the city centre, and the loss of 2,000 high-skilled jobs.

He added the plans offer little value for money, as the new hub in Leeds will cost twice as more as it would to be set up in Bradford. The decision has also been questioned by the National Audit Office and House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.

Mr Hussain said: “It is deeply frustrating and highly irrational that HMRC has planned to open its regional hub in Leeds and close their Bradford offices, putting 2,300 jobs at risk, despite huge opposition not just from myself, but from the widely respected Public Accounts Committee and National Audit Office who have both stated that these plans make no sense.

“Extensive evidence shows that Bradford is the most advantageous location to house HMRC’s regional hub with a youthful and skilled population and proximity to renowned universities and business schools, and the Government has denied Bradford the perfect opportunity to generate much-needed jobs that are vital in regenerating the city.

“The challenges that will be presented by Brexit, regardless of the deal done after negotiations also changes the situation as HMRC will need more staff, not less, to deal with the changed tax and financial environment, and HMRC must rethink its closure plans to deal with these changes.

“What is clear is highly paid civil servants in ivory towers have made a decision on where to base regional hubs on where they want to live and work, not where is best to provide value for money for the taxpayer and where best delivers the maximum economic impact.”