Why pubs shouldn't ban Labour MPs |
In Britain’s public houses, a rebellion is brewing. Landlords, hit hard by the Labour government’s fiscal measures – higher employer National Insurance, slashed business rates relief, and policies that threaten closures – have started discussing boycotts. The plan: bar Labour MPs from the premises as a protest against the erosion of the hospitality sector. As a pub manager approached to join this effort, I’ve considered it carefully. Yet I must reject it. Such a ban, however appealing in frustration, is anti-conservative and undermines the pub’s role as a neutral space.
The plan: bar Labour MPs from the premises as a protest against the erosion of the hospitality sector
The facts are stark. This government’s policies risk catastrophe for pubs. The Budget’s hikes are forcing closures, choking the lifeblood of rural and urban communities. Thousands of venues are at risk; jobs are disappearing fast. The impulse to strike back is natural. But true conservatism........