Hardly ideal for a Shadow Business Secretary to be slammed by business leaders for talking down their industry. The owners of some of London’s top clubs have expressed their disappointment at two-faced Chuka’s snobbery this morning in a letter to the Standard:

Dear Sir,

We were appalled to read last week that Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary and London MP Chuka Umunna has branded London clubs and nightspots as ‘full of trash and C-list wannabes.’

The UK’s night-time economy is worth £66 billion every year; Mr. Umunna criticises an industry which brings in millions of pounds to the capital and provides thousands of jobs. As a London MP, let alone Shadow Business Secretary, it beggars belief that he would chose to condemn these businesses rather than champion them. Mr. Umunna is clearly still not on the side of the British businesses whose success is so vital to the economic recovery.

Mr. Umunna’s knowledge of London’s nightlife is also sorely lacking. If he had visited the area he would know that the West End plays host to a wide variety of exciting clubs and bars. To correct this blindspot in his life experience, we extend an invitation for Mr. Umunna to see for himself the vibrant nightlife the capital has to offer and visit one of our establishments on a night of his choice.

Yours faithfully,

Khalid Virani (Owner of Raffles)
Julien Burlo (Owner of 151)
Joel Grey (Director of JuJu and SOUK)
Alex Nicholl (Owner of Jalouse)

Ouch…