There is a difficult symmetry between the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s repeated statement that he cant save every job and news this week from breweries and pub companies long associated with the Tory Party, the Beerage, that they are cutting jobs.
Greene King announced pub closures and job losses a few days and now Marstons have said they will cut up to 2.150 jobs:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54551477
The reasons given are perhaps understandable in terms of the impact on trade of 10pm curfews and lockdown closures.
Given that such restrictions have at best an arguable scientific basis and given that thousands will now spend winter on too low benefits with little prospect of work those who lose their jobs might well feel angry at the Tories.
A serious effort to get a proper and full furlough in place should be a political priority. Senior Labour politicians are saying this but it needs to go further.
It is also a reminder to those experts whose answer to any question they are asked is ‘shut pubs’ that such statements have human consequences. Unfortunately I’m not sure they are that concerned in some cases.
Leave a Reply