Labour’s War on Pubs: Higher Taxes, Speech Bans, and the Death of Communities

If I were to say “pub” you might say “get the rounds in then,” and whilst you’re not wrong, we’ve associated pubs purely as a place to get pissed. Because actions time and time again have reinforced that this is the expectation of a pub premises.  

Pubs, although primarily licensed to sell alcohol, also sell non-alcoholic and soft drink beverages—if you’re exceptionally lucky, they might even sell hot drinks or some fruit mocktail concoctions.  

Some of you may be wondering, why is this journalist wasting my time telling me what I already know? There is logic to my long winded route. Did you know that Labour have INCREASED the tax for pubs?  

In October 2024, they increased business rates by a whopping 140%, taking a £5,500 chunk out of publicans' pockets. WORST of all, from April, pub landlords will be legally required to pay the government an extra £800 PER EMPLOYEE!  

Why? Because Labour decided Employer National Insurance was a great thing to increase—for their own profit. 

This has SO many potentially damaging consequences, ranging not only from job loss and pubs becoming a thing of the past but also directly impacting community connectivity.  

For those wondering what Employer National Insurance is all about, it’s a tax that UK pubs—and all businesses—must pay when they hire staff.  

Here’s how it will work:  

When a pub pays its employees, it must also pay extra money to the government.  

Then there’s the extra tax on wages if a staff member earns more than £175 per week, the pub must pay 13.8% of their wages in Employer NI.  

Community connectivity appears to be Labour’s number one target, backed up further by them seeking a “conversation ban” surrounding sensitive political topics—for now—. It would seem if Labour can’t make it hard enough for pubs to survive their tenure, then they’ll seek to turn pubs from being a place of camaraderie, open discussion and connection into dull, government policed zones of silence where no one dares to speak their mind! 

It would appear Labour has declared WAR against pub landlords and against the very communities THEY make poorer whilst their fat cat pockets get fatter.

Of course I’m not going to overlook the blatant elephant in the room, that Labours talking ban would be a direct violation of FUNDAMENTAL human rights; particularly FREEDOM OF SPEECH and EXPRESSION which is protected under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998. 

Now, more than EVER, your landlords need YOU! Please, support your local pubs in whichever way is best for you!