Rod Humphris, the pub landlord who went viral for ejecting the Labour leader in 2021, has hit out at the Government, warning the country is “poorer, tired and sicker” under current policies.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Humphris said he and his staff are frustrated by rising costs, heavy regulation and what he described as an “authoritarian” approach that is stifling small businesses across the UK.
The publican went viral when Sir Keir Starmer was ordered to leave his establishment, The Raven in Bath, after he claimed the Labour leader “failed this country” over his support for lockdown restrictions.
Mr Humphris told GB News: “We all feel under attack in many, many ways the amount of regulation, tax, interference, it’s unpleasant.
“I wish they’d all just go away and leave us alone. It’s a tragedy for our young people.
“The paths that were open to them when I started out are now closed off, buying a house, starting a family, getting ahead in life.”
Martin Daubney said: “I wonder, actually, if during Covid we saw an authoritarian state telling us what we could and couldn’t do.
“Is there a part of that going on again? Now, I can’t help but feel it’s not just about taxation, it’s about being a Puritan.”
Mr Humphris said he and his staff are frustrated by rising costs
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GB NEWS
He responded: “I entirely agree. To a degree, it feels as if they got the bit between their teeth.
“And they’ve never they’ve never entirely stopped. It feels like the intention behind this is extremely unpleasant.”
“I’m going to be 60 this year, and when I started out in life perhaps it was the same for you there was a path ahead of me.
“I knew it was possible: if I worked hard and got my act together, I could buy a house, get married, have children.
Viral landlord who ejected Keir Starmer warns Britain is ‘poorer, tired and sicker’
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PA
“For all the young people I employ, that path has now been closed off. And that’s a terrible, terrible thing.
“Our world now is shaped by the cost of housing, the state of the economy, the general mood of the country, and the lack of confidence in the future.
“The opportunities that were once there just aren’t for many people, and that’s deeply concerning.”
Since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in July 2024, pubs have faced a series of financial blows, including higher employers’ National Insurance contributions, rises in alcohol duty, and an increase to the minimum wage.
Adding to the pressure, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in the Budget that business rates relief for the hospitality sector will be withdrawn from April.
The impact is being felt across the country, with data from the British Beer and Pub Association showing that pubs are now closing at a rate of around six per week.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the pub landlord added: “We do everything we can to make our pub welcoming,.
“It’s the simple things – offering the best craft beers, making sure customers leave happier than when they arrived. Everyone is welcome here. Except, of course, for Starmer.”