Tory rebellion as 42 MPs say NO to 10pm pub closures
DOZENS of Tory MPs defied the Government last night to vote against the forced 10pm closure of pubs and restaurants.
In a major rebellion against Boris Johnson, 42 Conservatives voted to oppose the measure, which one said was ‘damning’ businesses in his constituency.
Tory MPs lined up to criticise the controversial rule, which they said had no scientific basis and was effectively ‘punishing’ publicans who had made their venues Covid-secure.
One MP said it made no sense to impose the ‘damaging’ curfew on rural areas where Covid cases were low, thereby putting hundreds of jobs at risk. And Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan said the measures would mean ‘death by a thousand cuts’ for pubs in his city.
‘The measures before the House will cripple Wakefield’s economic recovery and for many businesses sound their death knell,’ he said.
‘We must learn to live with the virus – the continued peaks and troughs are unsustainable and offer false hope.
‘I cannot look my constituents in the eye if I have voted for measures that break them.’
The 10pm curfew was imposed last month but despite repeated calls, Boris Johnson has refused to provide any evidence it would be effective. Advice from the Sage committee indicated it would have limited impact. In last night’s Commons vote to approve the move, Labour abstained despite Sir Keir Starmer having criticised it.
But 23 Labour MPs – including Jeremy Corbyn – defied the party whips to vote against. It comes as one pub landlady in Liverpool revealed how the devastating effects of the latest restrictions have left her staff in tears.
Venues in the Liverpool city area have been told to shut from today after the region was placed in the ‘very high’ alert tier on Monday. Kate Stewart, who runs The Sandon in Anfield, said last night: ‘The amount of uncertainty is crippling. I’ve got women who are working for me who are coming in and actually sobbing because they don’t know whether they are going to have a job.’
Pubs and bars in the area are allowed to remain open if they operate as restaurants, according to the guidelines. Alcohol can only be served as part of a meal.
But Mrs Stewart said: ‘The consumer confidence is on the floor so I am in two minds about whether to keep the doors open. This couldn’t have come at a worse time, we were building ourselves back up and now it’s gone again.’ She added: ‘I am feeling absolutely devastated. This is catastrophic for the hospitality industry.’
‘Catastrophic for the industry’