Former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter James May has shared his candid thoughts on Andy Burnham during an appearance on LBC's Drive show with Tom Swarbrick. The Makerfield MP is widely expected to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister.
May's Reaction to Burnham's Pub Policies
Swarbrick raised the topic of Labour's stance toward pub landlords, referencing Jeremy Clarkson's claim that farmers would never vote Labour again. May replied: "I don't know what the traditional voting patterns of pub landlords are. I can see why they wouldn't. It does feel at times like the Government, and I'm not a fan of government interference, but it does feel like they've at the very least not had much interest in the survival of things like pubs."
When Swarbrick noted that Burnham had proposed cutting rates for pubs by increasing rates on warehouses, May responded: "I was quite, quite buoyed by his attitude to these things and what he was saying. I mean, let's see what actually happens, because as he's an incoming prime minister they've got to be positive, haven't they?"
Burnham's Proposed Changes for Pubs
Burnham has previously confirmed plans to cut employers' National Insurance contributions and reduce business rates for pubs. His policy would give pubs, clubs, and music venues a 20% reduction next year. Smaller independent hospitality, leisure, and retail firms would see the threshold for paying business rates lifted for the first time since 2017, removing many from the tax's reach entirely.
Burnham stated: "I have said that I thought the weight of the burden on employers' National Insurance wasn't the right decision. There is more that needs to be done to listen to the voice of small business, and as I've gone around this constituency, I'm hearing it a lot. People just feel they are at the kind of limits of what they can do."
