Pub landlords across Britain are preparing to strike in protest at Rachel Reeves’s tax hikes, which they say have pushed many boozers to the brink.
The Chancellor’s Budget has left publicans across the country reeling as they grapple with higher business rates, increased minimum wage requirements and a rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions.
Some landlords are weighing up a pushing back opening hours beyond the traditional 11am start, as publicans seek to deal Ms Reeves a political blow.
There have also been calls for boozers to stage noisy protests with last order bells ringing for five minutes.
Pub boss Andy Lennox told GB News a “day of industrial action” was coming.
“If Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer don’t sit up and listen, this is only going to get bigger,” Mr Lennox told the People’s Channel.
“We are pushing into industrial action. There are protest plans for the end of the month. We are going to go further and further and further.
“We employ three million people… We’re the third biggest employer in hospitality in the UK, and we generate £60billion in taxation.
“They have to sit up and listen to us. And we’re not going to go away until they do.”
Pub landlords across Britain are preparing to strike in protest at Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes (file photo)
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GETTYThe Chancellor’s Budget measures have outraged pub bosses across the country
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Mr Lennox has led the charge for watering holes across Britain to bar Labour MPs in response to business rates increases.
And the protest threats have only increased after Labour ministers confirmed plans to lower the drink-driving limit in England and Wales in what’s been billed as another blow to the already struggling industry.
The move from the Department for Transport could see a single alcoholic drink pushing motorists over the legal limit.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage lambasted the proposals as a “death knell for country pubs” and accused Labour of having “no connection to how real life works”.
And in response to the chaos, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has unveiled her party’s plans to protect British boozers from extinction.
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Kemi Badenoch has unveiled her party’s plans to protect British boozers from extinction
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Mrs Badenoch wrote in The Telegraph: “Like so many of Britain’s small businesses, pubs are being treated by Labour like cash cows to milk instead of as places to protect.
“Just another group of people to squeeze to fund their pet projects and handouts.
“Well, the Conservatives have not given up on saving the Great British Pub. Since we have left office, things have got a whole lot harder for them.
“And so, under my leadership, we are going to be bolder and take radical action to save your local boozer.”
Under her plans, business rates for thousands of pubs would be abolished, funded by a slashing to the benefits bill and mass cuts to the Civil Service.
Mrs Badenoch warned losing thousands of pubs would bring an end to a ‘huge part of our way of life’
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GETTYMrs Badenoch also warned losing thousands of pubs would bring an end to “the centre of local communities” and a “huge part of our way of life”.
A spokesman for the Treasury said: “We’re protecting pubs, restaurants and cafés with the Budget’s £4.3bn support package.
“Without this support, pubs would face a 45 per cent increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, we’ve got that down to just 4 per cent.
“This comes on top of our efforts to ease licensing to help more venues offer pavement drinks and put on one-off events, maintaining our cut to alcohol duty on draught pints, and capping corporation tax.”