A barber has issued a stern warning to Labour on GB News, saying that struggling salon owners are considering suicide amid crippling business tax hikes.
In the wake of the Budget last month, hairdressers, just like pub landlords, have started to bar Labour MPs in fervent retaliation against the levies.
More than 1,000 pubs up and down Britain have barred Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer in bristling backlash against what they consider an attack on the hospitality sector.
Salon owners are furious with the Chancellor after Ms Reeves vowed to reduce bills for smaller businesses by slapping taxes on their larger counterparts to “level the playing field between the high street and online giants”.
However, small business will merely receive a 5p discount despite their campaigns for a reduction of 20p.
Additionally, the 5p discount will be cancelled out by businesses’ rateable values, The Mail on Sunday reported.
Consequently, barbers and hairdressers have teamed up to deny entry to the Prime Minister and his Chancellor.
Joining GB News, barber Mark Brown, who used to own four salons before Covid hit, spoke out about the damaging impact the loss of his businesss had on his mental wellbeing, warning Labour of the effects their actions could have on business-owning Britons.
‘When I was losing my salons, it had quite a severe effect on my mental health,’ Mark Brown told GB News
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“When I was losing my salons, it had quite a severe effect on my mental health,” he told People’s Channel star Dawn Neesom.
He added: “A lot of the calls that we get and a lot of people who reach out to us at Salons United are people who just want to be heard.
“It’s a very lonely world being a business owner, no matter what business you’re in.
“Unless you’re very good at networking and very good at going out and finding like minded people. But it has a negative effect.
Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer have been barred from pubs across Britain in protest against tax hikes
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“We’ve got some salon owners towards the Budget who were considering suicide because they wouldn’t be able to cope with the changes that the Budget was bringing through.
“This is not a knee-jerk reaction.
“This is years and years of not being heard by Government or by Government being told that we’re in growth as an industry because in our industry, they’re including the products that are sold at Boots.”
Collette Osborne, who oversees two Nottinghamshire salons, has decorated her business with a “No Labour MPs” sign in her fight against the Government.
Ms Osborne is expecting her business rates bill to skyrocket by more than £10,000 from April.
A Labour source told The Mail: “The Government is backing high street businesses across the country, including Ms Osborne is expecting her business rates bill to skyrocket by more than £10,000 from April. hairdressers and salons.
“That’s why the Chancellor announced a support package worth £4.3billion at the Budget last month.”
Anyone who is in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide can call the Samaritans anonymously for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.