Jeremy Clarkson has pleaded with Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer to "leave pubs alone" following their latest policy proposals that threaten to impact hospitality business owners yet again.
Since the Labour government came into power, pub owners have faced a tumultuous time thanks to a rise in energy costs, increased duty on beer, a hike in National Insurance, inheritance tax changes and much more.
In fact, pub owner Adam Brooks appeared on the People's Channel on Friday night to accuse Labour of "hating pubs" with the number of newfangled policies that threaten to leave them worse off.
Mr Clarkson has joined Mr Brooks and several others who've spoken out to express their disapproval at the latest scheme to lower the alcohol limit for drivers.
Jeremy Clarkson opened his own pub, The Farmer's Dog, in 2024 | AMAZONThe Department for Transport proposed implementing the stricter limits in a bid to reduce the number of road deaths.
But it's heightened fears, particularly in rural areas, that it will put people off from visiting pubs and giving them their desperately needed custom.
Addressing the proposals, Mr Clarkson wrote in his latest column that "you’d imagine the Labourites would lay off the hospitality industry for a while" following the aforementioned obstacles they've had to face.
"But no. After kicking it in the head for a year, they’ve now decided to stamp on its balls by lowering the drink-drive limit to the point where you could lose your licence if you get in a car after eating a morsel of tiramisu," he continued.
Jeremy Clarkson has pleaded with Labour to 'leave pubs alone'
| AMAZONMr Clarkson went on to argue he "doubts" the new proposals would lower the number of deaths on the road caused by drink-driving.
"If someone is prepared to drink-drive now, he’s hardly likely to think, 'Oh no. There’s a new lower limit, I’d better stop'," he argued.
Mr Clarkson went on: "They introduced the new lower limit in Scotland 11 years ago, and it made absolutely no difference. In fact, road deaths went up slightly.
"The fact is, England’s roads are already about as safe as they can be. In the early 1970s, more than 7,000 people were killed annually. Today, it’s around 1,600."
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Rachel Reeves is no stranger to Clarkson's rants
| REUTERSThe former Top Gear star conceded that the figure did plateau around a decade and a half ago, but added: "I wonder if that might have something to do with the fact that, at that time, people started using bicycles more often to get around.
"Maybe that’s what the Government should do if it really wants to cut road deaths. Leave the pubs alone, and the people who use them to enjoy a harmless pint after work.
"And ban people from riding around on children’s toys," he concluded in The Sun.
His stance echoes that of GB News regular Mr Brookes. On Friday's Patrick Christys Tonight, the pub owner fumed: "(Labour) clearly hate us, and they don't want people congregating in pubs and slagging off the party or possibly the worst Government that we've ever had.
The Farmer's Dog is situated in Asthall just outside Burford in Oxfordshire | PA"It's one thing after another. Both Budgets have cost me an extra £40,000 or so in added costs since they've come into power."
Recalling Labour's pledge to "scrap business rates" in 2022, Mr Brooks said: "I'm doing okay, I've got a great pub, but there are many that are not, and there are going to be record closures this year.
"In 2022, Labour put all over social media that they're going to scrap business rates and create a fairer system. Let me just tell you now, the average pub business rates have gone up by 76 per cent, the average hotel by 115 per cent.
"A supermarket, though, just four per cent, or a warehouse that someone like Amazon might use, only 16 per cent. So we are disproportionately getting punished."
Jeremy Clarkson has been particularly critical of the Labour government
| GETTYThe government has, inevitably, defended the proposals. Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood appeared on the People's Channel to insist the policy would "save lives".
She claimed: "We are out of step in England and Wales. The drink drive limit that we have was set in 1967; it hasn't changed since then, whilst in Scotland, it was reduced in 2014 to 50mg per 100ml of blood.
"That's the level it is everywhere across Europe, I think, with the exception of Malta.
"That's why we're proposing to take this action. Nobody wants to stop people from going out to the pub. I enjoy going out to the pub, but what we are saying to people is if you're going out for a drink, leave the car at home."