New low for Rachel Reeves as livid pub bosses threaten strike motion | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Nigel Farage warned the transfer can be a “death knell for country pubs across Britain”. Pubs have already taken a hammering with excessive nationwide insurance coverage contributions for employers, and an increase to the minimal wage. They’ve additionally been hit by a reevaluation to property tax charges, and the expiration to fee aid for hospitality venues introduced in through the pandemic.

Now the sector is looking for Sir Keir Starmer and Mrs Reeves to “accept the inevitable” and announce a u-turn. Boss of Star Pubs, Lawson Mountstevens, informed the Sun: “The strength of feeling on this issue is clear, and speaks to the unique place pubs have in British society.

“We wish to interact constructively and positively with as many MPs as attainable, whether or not that be in pubs or in parliament, to press the case for a fairer and extra proportionate settlement for our locals.”

Landlords are reportedly calling for a reduction in VAT, which they say might stave off industrial action expected to start at the end of the month.

The action is expected to be similar to that seen by farmers, which saw tractors blocking Whitehall, and eventually led to a partial climbdown from the Government on the Family Farm Tax, which saw farms dragged into inheritance tax for the first time.

The Daily Express campaigned to stop the Family Farm Tax since it was first announced, amid nationwide fears it could kill off the farming sector and irreparably harm rural Britain.

It comes as more than 1,000 pubs across the country reportedly barred Labour MPs in protest to changes to business rates, amid mounting pressure on the government to rethink their tax plans.

Pressure has even come from Sir Keir’s own MPs, with York Central’s Rachael Maskall saying in Prime Minister’s Questions “might the Prime Minister urgently assessment the enterprise fee proposals” as she claimed she wanted to “avert a disaster on York’s excessive avenue.”