The shocking unfairness of the Government’s stance on business rates has come home to roost … as I said it would.

According to a new assessment, most West Midlands businesses (81 per cent) have had their business rates increased over the past five years, becoming one of their biggest costs.

Yet, ahead of the 2010 revaluation there was not one single scrap of warning that West Midlands rates were set to rise. Indeed the Communities and Local Government Department predicted they would fall.

This was a forecast which could have been written by Brian Rix.

Disgraceful!

Now we have the findings of a survey of the region's business owners by Bishop Fleming, the Top 40 firm of accountants with an office in Worcester, which highlights the extent of the scandal.

While more than half (50.5 per cent) have experienced a business rates rise to nearly match their property rent, 18.1 per cent reported that they're now paying as much or more as they pay in rent.

Matthew Lee, managing partner at Bishop Fleming, said: “These findings are outrageous, and underline our campaign calling for a ‘root and branch' reform of what we consider to be an ‘iniquitous tax’.”

“Business rates were supposed to be less than half of rents, but that ratio is becoming overturned by the reduction of rents and the continued increase in business rates.”

I totally agree. Outrageous is the word.

And it is really hurting the West Midlands economy – most businesses (89 per cent) reported that increased business rates have hampered their ability to invest and grow.

The only tax that is index linked and guaranteed to rise, irrespective of how a business is performing.

How are small and medium sized businesses supposed to thrive in such circumstances?

And of course, not only did the Government tell porkies over the 2010 revaluation but it then proceeded to postpone the next business rates revaluation from 2015 to 2017.

The tax remains based on 2008 valuations – the height of the property boom.

I stated at the time that this represented a cynical short-term cowardly policy and a naive one to boot.

Nothing has made me change my mind.

George Osborne and his Treasury staff should have had the guts to admit they simply wanted to retain the business rate tax take which otherwise would have declined.

Business Rates are geared to commercial property valuations and these have declined hugely over the last five years, only now showing signs that, with the much needed economic recovery, things are starting to go the other way.

Almost three-quarters of the Bishop Fleming survey respondents branded business rates as unfair.

Indeed UK businesses pay the highest business rates in Europe – more than Germany and France combined.

The revaluation postponement was essentially a move to protect the Tory Party’s friends in the South-east, as if they don’t benefit enough already from the Government’s largesse.

Yet another example of the West Midlands and other regions being shafted.

A protest petition calling for reform can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/57038. I would urge you to sign it.