Lord Allen calls on British racing to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' in racing tax campaign

New BHA chair Lord Charles Allen said he was proud that British racing was standing "shoulder to shoulder" in its efforts to persuade the government not to go ahead with its plans to harmonise online gambling duties.

He told those present at the protest organised by the sport's leadership at the QEII Centre in Westminster that they needed to continue to contact their local MPs to press home racing's message.

Speaking for the first time in public since taking up his role as BHA chair at the start of the month, Allen said of the campaign: "I think although we've done a good job, what I am particularly proud about today is this industry is standing shoulder to shoulder.

"As a politician it's easier to brush things off when you have got different people with different objectives and I think what we need to do going forward is be shoulder to shoulder on a number of issues, whether it is affordability, the levy or this."

Allen said the sport needed to demonstrate racing's human interest story to government.

"Every racecourse, every operator here, needs to write to their MP, so we can build that message," he said. "If you are dealing with politicians don't go and ask them for something, ask them what they are about. Jobs are really important to any government and particularly a Labour government, and inward investment, growth. We are an industry that could build inward investment."

Allen said he was "optimistic" but acknowledged the government was "under a lot of pressure".

"They have got to find ways to fill quite a big gap," he said. "We know that there's no money sloshing around so we need to make our case very strongly and we need to make it collectively."

Allen added: "There is a lot of goodwill but there's much to be done. My challenge to all of you is go away from today and get in touch with your MP and your local authorities because we play a really important role in society both domestically and internationally."

On Tuesday evening the Treasury issued a statement from Dan Tomlinson, the exchequer secretary to the Treasury, in which he described speculation about a potential rise in tax rates as "not only inaccurate, but also irresponsible".

Jim Mullen and Brant Dunshea at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centreCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Jockey Club chief executive Jim Mullen said he hoped Treasury officials would recognise the issues that would be created should betting duty increase. He said: "The Treasury are probably some of the most coldly objective individuals you could meet, and they should be because they have got a really important job.

"The reason why we can't fathom that this harmonisation would happen is that the £66 million impact that this tax would have on racing would basically impact £300m of tax receipts.

"I would hope that those very, very clever and objective individuals within the Treasury will basically look at it and say what is the point if the impact over the medium term is to lose £300m. As well as doing that you are damaging something that the United Kingdom is unarguably the best in the world at."

Mullen's counterpart at Arena Racing Company (Arc) Martin Cruddace echoed Allen's comments about the sport's collective effort to lobby the government.

He told the audience: "I am heartened by the incredible coverage that we have received today. I think we are making incredible progress but we have to keep our foot on the accelerator. We have to keep our foot down. We have eight weeks and that's absolutely vital.

"It does show what we can do in maybe an all-too-rare display of complete unity as a horseracing industry."

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Racing TV has created a template letter than can be used to email local MPs about your concerns over the 'racing tax'. Follow this link to access the template – it should not take more than a couple of minutes to complete