YORK Central's Labour candidate has hit back after a retail leader claimed tomorrow's city centre rally involving Jeremy Corbyn will damage trade.

Phil Pinder, chair of the York Retail Forum, tweeted that people may avoid the city centre as a result of the rally taking place in St Helen's Square.

York Press:

Mr Pinder went on to say: "I'm not talking the market, I'm talking for all our shops, who are due to take a hit on their takings.

"It's right outside shops, six shops will be blocked completely. People will choose to avoid York because of this.

"If Jeremy Corbyn cares about business and our economy he will rethink."

The Labour Party leader is set to march through York with supporters from St Helen's Square to Exhibition Square as a scene for the party's final election broadcast is shot.

The Labour candidate for York Central, Rachael Maskell, said the rally would take place in Exhibition Square rather than St Helen's Square and, as there were no retail outlets in Exhibition Square, she believed Mr Pinder's concerns would not materialise.

"The rally will bring hundreds of residents into York tomorrow, who wouldn't normally come into the city on a Sunday, to hear how Labour's programme for Government will be transformative for cities like York," she added.