BoxRec

John wrote: ↑04 Sep 2026, 06:58 I was keen on Stammer, I thought he was a canny operator who kept his cards close to his chest. But pretty quickly it became apparent that he had no cards, clueless and useless, no policies, no plan, no vision.

He was ineffective: just more of the same wishy-washy politics, wrapped up in the idea that “we’re the nice ones” and that everything can be achieved with carrots and never sticks. Incapable of making hard decisions or envisioning any kind of plan for the country facing the realities of the modern world.

As for Burnham, first thing he does is find £10B to give to the hospitality industry !!!!!!!

McDonald’s: about £432m a year
Mitchells & Butlers: about £246m
Greene King: about £196m
Wetherspoon: about £194m
Those three large pub operators alone therefore account for about £636m
Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat platform fees are estimated at another £376m combined.
KFC, Domino’s, Nando’s, Burger King and Stonegate would also receive substantial amounts

I don't know to laugh or cry, this policy is the Jeremy Clarkson and Farridge ultimate wet dream. If he found some savings why the hell didn't it go towards something we need Health, Defence, Education but no it goes to entertainment and junk food. Just what the NHS needs more takeaways, more people eating crap food. I hope anyone reading this can feel the anger pouring out of my fingertips.

Lenny Cravats wrote: ↑Yesterday, 07:36

John wrote: ↑04 Sep 2026, 06:58 I was keen on Stammer, I thought he was a canny operator who kept his cards close to his chest. But pretty quickly it became apparent that he had no cards, clueless and useless, no policies, no plan, no vision.

He was ineffective: just more of the same wishy-washy politics, wrapped up in the idea that “we’re the nice ones” and that everything can be achieved with carrots and never sticks. Incapable of making hard decisions or envisioning any kind of plan for the country facing the realities of the modern world.

As for Burnham, first thing he does is find £10B to give to the hospitality industry !!!!!!!

McDonald’s: about £432m a year
Mitchells & Butlers: about £246m
Greene King: about £196m
Wetherspoon: about £194m
Those three large pub operators alone therefore account for about £636m
Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat platform fees are estimated at another £376m combined.
KFC, Domino’s, Nando’s, Burger King and Stonegate would also receive substantial amounts

I don't know to laugh or cry, this policy is the Jeremy Clarkson and Farridge ultimate wet dream. If he found some savings why the hell didn't it go towards something we need Health, Defence, Education but no it goes to entertainment and junk food. Just what the NHS needs more takeaways, more people eating crap food. I hope anyone reading this can feel the anger pouring out of my fingertips.

That £10 billion figure has nothing to do with Andy Burnham giving handouts to hospitality, John.

That figure was an estimate of the cost of a nationwide VAT cut, which was unsuccessfully lobbied for by groups in the industry.

What Burnham announced was a 20% business rates cut, specifically for local pubs, social clubs, and music venues, which should save them about £1,100 a year.

The estimated cost is roughly £100million a year, paid for by tightening tax relief on vape shops and online platforms, not by raiding health, defence or education budgets.

All the fast food places you mentioned are actually excluded from this policy.

Honestly, I think its definitely a good step to help a struggling industry.

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑Yesterday, 09:39

Lenny Cravats wrote: ↑Yesterday, 07:36

John wrote: ↑04 Sep 2026, 06:58 I was keen on Stammer, I thought he was a canny operator who kept his cards close to his chest. But pretty quickly it became apparent that he had no cards, clueless and useless, no policies, no plan, no vision.

He was ineffective: just more of the same wishy-washy politics, wrapped up in the idea that “we’re the nice ones” and that everything can be achieved with carrots and never sticks. Incapable of making hard decisions or envisioning any kind of plan for the country facing the realities of the modern world.

As for Burnham, first thing he does is find £10B to give to the hospitality industry !!!!!!!

McDonald’s: about £432m a year
Mitchells & Butlers: about £246m
Greene King: about £196m
Wetherspoon: about £194m
Those three large pub operators alone therefore account for about £636m
Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat platform fees are estimated at another £376m combined.
KFC, Domino’s, Nando’s, Burger King and Stonegate would also receive substantial amounts

I don't know to laugh or cry, this policy is the Jeremy Clarkson and Farridge ultimate wet dream. If he found some savings why the hell didn't it go towards something we need Health, Defence, Education but no it goes to entertainment and junk food. Just what the NHS needs more takeaways, more people eating crap food. I hope anyone reading this can feel the anger pouring out of my fingertips.

That £10 billion figure has nothing to do with Andy Burnham giving handouts to hospitality, John.

That figure was an estimate of the cost of a nationwide VAT cut, which was unsuccessfully lobbied for by groups in the industry.

What Burnham announced was a 20% business rates cut, specifically for local pubs, social clubs, and music venues, which should save them about £1,100 a year.

The estimated cost is roughly £100million a year, paid for by tightening tax relief on vape shops and online platforms, not by raiding health, defence or education budgets.

All the fast food places you mentioned are actually excluded from this policy.

Honestly, I think its definitely a good step to help a struggling industry.

I was listening to a guy on the radio yesterday who was the 4th generation to run his families ice cream shop, he had had to finally close it down after 100 odd years. He said in 2012 the yearly electricity bill was £14k, last year it was £78k.