The increasingly unpopular left-wing Labour Party government in Britain is reportedly looking to limit how long pubs can stay open at night to supposedly confront alcohol-related costs to the country’s socialised healthcare system.
Pubs are apparently in the crosshairs for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government, with Public Health Minister Andrew Gwynne is said to have told ministers that Downing Street is considering plans that would see a “tightening up the hours of operation” of bars and pubs.
Despite the industry continuing to struggle in the wake of draconian coronavirus lockdowns, on top of the already onerous regulations and high taxes levied against them by the state, Gwynne argued that placing further limits on pubs would cut down on anti-social behaviour and reduce burden on the National Health Service (NHS), The Telegraph reports.
The broadsheet quoted the public health minister as saying that the current state of Britain’s health was “morally reprehensible” and that “bluntly there isn’t enough money” to pay for socialised care for alcohol related illnesses. Gwynne attempted to claim that the move would not mean that the Labour government was the “fun police” or a “supernanny” state.
“These are discussions that we have got to have – even if it’s just about tightening up on some of the hours of operation; particularly where there are concerns that people are drinking too much,” he reportedly said from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool this week.
The push to limit pub hours comes amid a broader attack on the British institution, with Prime Minister Starmer pushing to ban smoking tobacco in beer gardens or outside pubs, which industry insiders warn will have a major impact on the bottom line of establishments.
Meanwhile, leftist academics at Cambridge University have begun to advocate for serving beer in smaller glasses than the traditional pint, claiming that it reduces the amount of alcohol consumed by pubgoers.
Additionally, the government is reportedly seeking to increase taxes on so-called junk food and to work with industry to reduce sugar, salt, and fat content in certain foods.
Responding to the report of cutting pub hours, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Labour are middle class, middle managers who don’t drink in pubs. Their Red Wall supporters will come to Reform.”
“50 pubs closed every month in the first half of this year. Labour’s war on landlords will finish off the rest if Starmer isn’t stopped,” Farage added.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care denied that the government is planning on reducing alcohol licensing hours.
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