Starmer should be toppled as PM because of the economic damage he has caused, key Andy Burnham ally says: ‘I bitterly regret donating to get him into Downing Street’
A key ally of Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham says Sir Keir Starmer should be sacked as Prime Minister because of the damage his government is causing to the economy.
Sacha Lord, who served as Mr Burnham’s adviser for seven years, explained in an article in The Mail on Sunday that it was ‘time to give someone else a chance’ at No 10.
Mr Lord, chairman of the Night Industry Association, attacks ‘catastrophic’ increase in National Insurance brought by Chancellor Rachel Reeves; This increase – along with increases in minimum wages and business rates – is negatively impacting the hospitality industry. Describing the impact as worse than Covid, Mr Lord writes: ‘With profits for a pint now just 12p, the writing is on the wall for many.
‘We will lose more pubs than we have during the pandemic… Reeves has been the worst Chancellor on record for my sector.’
He adds: ‘There are local elections next month. It’s time to give someone else a chance. I have met the Prime Minister and he is a good man who I think has really good intentions. But we don’t need ‘good’, we need someone who will work and support us to bring this industry back to what it used to be: world leadership.’
Mr Lord’s comments, which have advised the so-called ‘King of the North’ on Manchester’s night-time economy, come as the mayor tries to plot to win a House of Commons seat to mount a leadership bid against Sir Keir if Labor is routed as badly as expected in next month’s council elections.
His main rival in any contest will likely be former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Rayner is understood to be stepping up his preparations by approaching allies in his northern Labor constituency during Parliament’s Easter recess to ask for help with his campaign.
Sacha Lord (right), who advised Mr Burnham (left) for seven years, wrote in an article for The Mail on Sunday that it was ‘time to give someone else a chance’ at No 10. The two are photographed together here.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is seen arriving at the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as part of his two-day visit to the Gulf region
Ms Rayner’s allies said she would take on a key role in Labour’s local election campaign to showcase her credentials as a ‘political street fighter’ and raise her profile in the face of a potential challenge.
It was also reported by the Daily Mail that she had cut back on her drinking to create a ‘more stateswoman-like personality’.
Labor deputy leader Lucy Powell warned MPs against getting into a “messy, bloody infighting” after local elections on May 7, in which the party is expected to lose 1,900 of the 2,560 seats it defends.
Mr Burnham tried to become the Labor candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier this year but was blocked by the party’s National Executive Committee.
But his allies believe Labour’s loss in the by-election has strengthened Mr Burnham’s hand for the next opportunity; It is understood that at this opportunity, the three seats that Labor Party MPs are considering withdrawing from are also being considered.
A spokesman for Ms Rayner said it was ‘nonsense’ to say she had turned to allies to help her campaign.
‘I have met the Prime Minister and he is a good man who I think has really good intentions. We don’t need “nice” though.’ Sacha Lord’s photo was taken
We need a Prime Minister who will ensure the redevelopment of the hotel industry
Written by: Sacha Lord, President of the Night Industries Association
On June 13, 2024, I stood in a packed room in Manchester.
The excitement was incredible. The full Shadow Cabinet was on display and the UK press were in the room to hear the launch of the Labor Party manifesto.
Rachel Reeves’ announcement that she will be Chancellor of Jobs and Growth felt like a major moment for hospitality.
I was so hopeful that I donated to the party to get him and Starmer into Downing Street.
This is something I now bitterly regret because from the moment Reeves walked through the doors of No 11 it became clear that he was far from business and growth.
With the National Insurance increase it introduced, operators were forced to cut hours from their weekly routes. The result was disastrous; We’ve cut 120,000 jobs since Reeves became Chancellor.
The industry is suffering worse than during the Covid period.
We have experienced the double whammy of increasing the minimum wage and business rates since April 1. With profits from a pint currently just 12p, the writing is on most people’s walls.
We will now lose more bars than during the pandemic. In my lifetime, Reeves has been the worst Chancellor on record for my industry.
There are local elections next month. It’s time to give someone else a chance.
I have met the Prime Minister and he is a good man who I think has really good intentions. But we don’t need ‘good’, we need someone who will work and support us to bring this industry back to what it used to be: world leadership.
