Harold Tillman, the chairman of the British Fashion Council, has urged the Government to delay VAT rises.

Mr Tillman, a member of St John’s Wood Synagogue, is calling for January’s planned VAT rise to 20 per cent to be postponed for 30 days to help consumers who have been prevented from shopping because of this month’s snow.

Mr Tillman, who owns clothing brands Jaeger and Aquascutum and was appointed a CBE for his services to fashion earlier this year, told Sky News: “I think that would allow people that were going to shop, that want to shop, to do so in January.

“Over the last 10 days of bad weather and prior to that when conditions were poor three weeks ago, VAT collections must be down.

“I'd like to think that maybe they [the Government] would understand what we're suggesting.”

Mr Tillman said he had received support from retailers in all sectors and had met with a Government minister to discuss the proposal.

He said minister had given an "encouraging" but acknowledged there would be difficulties in postponing the long-planned tax rise at such short notice.