Sacha Lord, a prominent ally of Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and chairman of the Night Time Industries Association, has issued a stark call for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to be replaced. In a scathing article for The Mail on Sunday, Lord declares it is "time to give someone else a go" in Number 10, blaming the Government's economic policies for devastating the hospitality sector.
Catastrophic Impact on Hospitality Industry
Lord, who served as an adviser to Burnham for seven years, launches a fierce attack on Chancellor Rachel Reeves' "catastrophic" increase in National Insurance. He argues that this policy, combined with rises in the minimum wage and business rates, has hammered pubs, bars, and nightlife venues across the country. Describing the impact as worse than the COVID-19 pandemic, Lord reveals that profit on a pint has plummeted to just 12p, warning that "the writing is on the wall for many."
"We will lose more pubs now than we did during the pandemic," Lord writes. "Reeves has been the worst Chancellor on record for my sector." He adds that since Reeves took office, the industry has shed approximately 120,000 jobs, with operators forced to cut hours from weekly rotas to survive.
Political Maneuvering Amid Local Elections
The remarks come as Mayor Andy Burnham, often dubbed the "King of the North," is reportedly plotting a path to win a Commons seat. This move would position him to mount a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer if Labour suffers heavy losses in next month's council elections, where the party is forecast to lose up to 1,900 of the 2,560 seats it defends.
Burnham's main rival in any potential contest is likely to be former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Sources indicate Rayner has stepped up her preparations during Parliament's Easter recess by approaching allies in northern Labour constituency parties for campaign support. Allies say she will take a prominent role in Labour's local election campaign to showcase her qualities as a "political street fighter" and boost her profile.
Internal Labour Tensions Surface
Labour's deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has warned MPs against engaging in a "messy, bloody internal contest" after the local elections on May 7. Meanwhile, Burnham attempted to stand as Labour's candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier this year but was blocked by the party's National Executive Committee. His allies believe Labour's loss in that by-election has strengthened Burnham's hand for future opportunities, with three seats where sitting Labour MPs may step down under consideration.
A spokesman for Angela Rayner dismissed reports of her approaching allies for campaign help as "nonsense." It was also reported by the Daily Mail that Rayner has cut down on her drinking to craft "a more stateswoman-like persona" ahead of potential leadership moves.
Lord's Personal Regret and Call for Change
In his article, Lord expresses personal regret for donating to the Labour Party to help get Starmer and Reeves into Downing Street, citing high hopes during the manifesto launch in June 2024. He recalls feeling optimistic when Reeves announced she would be the "Chancellor of business and growth," but now describes that hope as bitterly misplaced.
"I've met the PM and he's a nice guy who I think genuinely means well," Lord writes. "We don't need 'nice' though, we need someone who will work and support us to drag this sector back to how it was: world leading." With local elections approaching, Lord's call for change underscores growing discontent within Labour's support base over economic management and the future of the hospitality industry.
