Keir Starmer has hinted at what may be Labour's next huge u-turn, just days after reversing their planned Family Farms Tax. Speaking today, the beleaguered Prime Minister suggested he is looking to address fury from pub landlords up and down the country, amid a mass ban on Labor MPs entering hundreds of venues.
Speaking earlier today, Sir Keir admitted that pubs will “struggle” as a result of a recent hike in business rates. In April, business rates reliefs brought in by Rishi Sunak during the Covid pandemic will come to an end. Pubs are among those hit worst by the abolition of relief, combined with a significant rise in many of their rateable values in a November revaluation.
Throughout December a growing number of pubs joined a mass rebellion publicly banning Labor MPs from their establishments, hitting over 1,000 two days before Christmas.
Speaking this morning, Sir Keir Starmer suggested pressure is reaching a fever pitch and he may be forced into yet another humiliating u-turn.
He told GB News: “Look, we're working with the sector, particularly in hospitality. Obviously, there were reductions in place because of Covid, which were going to come to an end.
“There are then transitional provisions to help. The overall rating level is going down but I do acknowledge, for pubs and others, that the revaluation means that they will struggle in relation to the business rates applicable to them. That's why we're working with them.
“And also other measures – they want more freedom for licensing, they want more freedom to actually open for longer. And we're very open to that discussion with them.”
He also told LBC that the government is looking at what “further support” it can give to the struggling hospitality sector.
“We're talking to the sector, particularly hospitality and pubs, about what further support we can put in, whether that's licensing freedoms or other measures.
“We want to talk to the sector. I want to keep working with them to make sure we can work this through.”
Sir Gavin Williamson was among MPs putting further pressure on the Government in the Commons this afternoon, demanding action on behalf of hard-pressed rural pubs.
The top Tory blasted: “I cannot put into words the fear, the concern, the stress, that farmers in my constituency and right across the country have felt as a result of the policy that was announced at the Government's first Budget.
“And now that same fear is also being felt in rural pubs up and down the country in terms of changes to business rates.
“So will the minister… indicate to many publicans across Staffordshire that they're going to do a u-turn on the business rates so they don't close rural pubs?”
Responding, Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson failed to address the challenge, merely insisting there would be plenty of further opportunities for MPs to discuss business rates in the coming weeks and months.