Pubs are for everyone and should not become the political property of the hard right

The article reports Reform UK proposed a £3bn hospitality tax cut funded by reinstating the two‑child benefit cap, and HMRC figures suggest the plan would cost about £10bn more than accounted for.

Reform UK used a Westminster pub to promote a plan to cut hospitality tax while funding it by reinstating the two‑child benefit cap, and that launch has prompted wider discussion about who pubs are for. The proposal was presented as a way to "save the great British pub," but critics and official figures questioned the arithmetic behind it. The article places the political move in a longer debate about the changing nature of pubs and their audiences. It also notes wider industry trends and concerns about homogeneity in the sector. Key facts: - Reform UK promoted a proposal for about £3bn of tax relief for the hospitality sector, funded by reinstating the two‑child benefit cap, as reported in the article. - HMRC estimates were reported as indicating the package would cost roughly £10bn more than accounted for in Reform's figures. - The piece notes political messaging around pubs has been used to evoke a particular image of pub life and that some politicians have framed pubs as community spaces. - The article reports pubs have been closing at a rate of about one per day across 2024 and 2025. - It also describes concerns that remaining pubs are becoming more homogeneous, affected by large chains, changing social habits, and licensing and regulatory pressures. Summary: The article argues the Reform UK plan has focused attention on pubs as a political stage while official cost estimates raise questions about its fiscal basis. It says this debate matters because pubs are varied community spaces, and the next practical outcomes of the proposal and broader policy responses are undetermined at this time.