Nanny-state Labour can’t seem get enough of cracking down on the joys of life, all in the name of knowing what’s best for us. Reports now say Starmer is thinking of closing pubs early in order to avoid “harmful drinking”. Though in reality it will just cause harm to the hospitality sector, with pubs inevitably forced to shut up shop completely…

While the Department for Health says “This is categorically untrue,” Andrew Gwynne, the public health minister, said the Government was considering “tightening up the hours of operation” of bars and pubs. It’s just another U-turn from Labour. Before the election, they promised to do everything they could to “support pubs”. In their manifesto, they even rolled out a flashy “five-point plan” to stop closures and encourage pub ownership. Starmer himself was dropping hints about an alcohol duty freeze all in the aim of helping out the local boozers. Though with these new restrictions on the table, any chance of that support seems to have gone flat. A reminder of what our Chancellor Reeves once said (this June):

“Brits love our locals. Let’s back our landlords to keep our pubs going. We want to save the British pub because I know what an important institution they are in so many communities.”

This latest move will leave a bitter taste in Brits’ mouths…

Damning new polling of Britain’s publicans by Survation for the UK Spirits Alliance has poured cold water on boozers’ hopes ahead of Hunt’s budget. Two-thirds of pubs are reporting a decline in footfall and profits since September. In the Autumn Statement Hunt froze alcohol duty until August this year, though a previous 10.1% hike in line with inflation had already passed on massive costs to consumers. Leaving pub-goers feeling far from bubbly…

A whopping 96% of pubs say any increase in alcohol duty will result in a price increase while over half say all investment would come to an end and staff would have to be cut. Britain’s boozers are at massive risk with over 7,000 expected to go out of business this year. 62% of pubs say last summer’s “Brexit Pubs Guarantee”, designed to undermine supermarket booze, hasn’t worked well. Only real tax cuts will work to tickle the providers of our tipple…

It looks like the public still has faith in the power of the pint. Polling reveals that 41% of the British public are more likely to view politician as in touch with the local community if they frequent the pub. That’s good news for Nigel Farage. No wonder Sunak and Starmer are so keen to be seen pulling pints…

A majority of the public agrees that pubs “bring people together who have different political views and provide a space for them to be discussed openly” while 31% feel they will play a key role in influencing swing voters in the election – time for politicians to head to get to work. Guido, for his part, has had many a frank and robust debate in Westminster’s watering holes…

This comes as new research reveals 7,248 pubs are expecting to go out of business in the next 12 months – that’s a whopping 16% of the total in the UK. Four fifths of pubs say a cut to alcohol duty would boost business and increase their chances of survival. On top of that are the 13,000 jobs the UK Spirits Alliance says are dependent on the industry. More pressure on Hunt to ease up on local pubs come the budget…