Announcing the discount on Thursday, the prime minister<\/a> said around 32,000 businesses would benefit and the typical pub could be expected to save around \u00a31,100 annually.<\/p>\n But Kerridge, who has been leading a campaign to cut hospitality VAT to 10 per cent, warned that: \u201c\u00a31,000 on a yearly revenue doesn’t really make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n However, he told BBC Radio 5 Live that the move will still come as welcome news to publicans and: \u201cIt shows the government are beginning to listen and has an understanding that hospitality is at the core and heart of so many communities.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Burnham has also announced a VAT<\/a> cut to electricity bills<\/a> and capped bus fares to \u00a32 from January, as well as <\/a>promised to fix social care and ease the cost of living. <\/p>\n The business rate cuts alone are expected to cost the government around \u00a3100m per year and economists have warned taxes<\/a> will likely need to rise to fund new policies.<\/p>\n <\/a>Gary Lineker is ‘very welcome to pay more tax’ says Kemi Badenoch<\/p>\n Gary Lineker is \u201cvery welcome to pay more tax\u201d, Kemi Badenoch has said, while arguing that tax rises were not the answer.<\/p>\n Asked about a call by the former footballer and 120 UK-based millionaires for Andy Burnham to impose higher taxes on their wealth, the Tory leader told reporters: \u201con Gary Lineker, he\u2019s very welcome to pay more tax. He can write a cheque to the Treasury. No one\u2019s stopping him.<\/p>\n \u201cBut right now, we are seeing the people who create jobs leaving the country\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIf we keep taxing the people who create the jobs, who generate the growth, we\u2019re not going to have any taxes at all.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that tax rises and \u201cpennies here and there\u201d do not increase our standard of living, and that the focus should be on \u201cbacking business so that they can create jobs and create growth\u201d.<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 11:09<\/p>\n <\/a>Chefs brand Burnham\u2019s business rate move a \u2018political manoeuvre\u2019<\/p>\n The Independent\u2019s politics reporter Athena Stavrou reports:<\/p>\n Chefs have branded Andy Burnham\u2019s move to slash business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venue a \u201cpolitical manoeuvre\u201d which is \u201can absolute drop in the ocean\u201d.<\/p>\n Great British Menu winner Nick Beardshaw said the policy is \u201cnot enough to save any businesses\u201d, and warned more drastic action is needed.<\/p>\n “While it is a positive thing, I feel like it\u2019s just a bit of a political manoeuvre designed to take a bit of heat away from the noise that hospitality is making,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an absolute drop in the ocean. Business rates are normally between 2 per cent and 4 per cent of turnover in these businesses, so the reduction represents a 0.4 per cent to 0.8 per cent reduction in total costs.<\/p>\n \u201cNot enough to save any businesses, as is implied in his statement about not wanting to see any more of these businesses boarded up. Many of them won\u2019t make it to next April!<\/p>\n \u201cThe way costs have increased over the last 6 years has meant the margins have been squeezed by numbers closer to 15% or 20%, so in order to \u201csave\u201d these businesses, way more drastic action is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 11:04<\/p>\n <\/a>Burnham\u2019s rates relief for pubs sends strong signal \u2013 but two big questions remain<\/p>\n Andy Burnham has made his third major announcement in as many days since taking over as prime minister.<\/p>\n A 20 per cent cut to business rates will come into effect from April next year for pubs, clubs and music venues \u2013 except for the largest ones \u2013 with Mr Burnham saying the government will \u201cback the businesses that people want to see in their communities\u201d.<\/p>\n But, how is this being paid for? <\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 11:01<\/p>\n <\/a>What businesses are eligible for rates cuts? <\/p>\n Pubs, social clubs and live music venues are eligible for the 20 per cent cut in business rates, but other venues in the hospitality sector haven\u2019t been mentioned. <\/p>\n That means cinemas, cafes, restaurants and hotels may miss out. Plus, the 20 per cent cut only applies to businesses in England and not Scotland or Northern Ireland. <\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 10:55<\/p>\n <\/a>Badenoch: If Burnham wants to call a snap election, we are ready<\/p>\n The Independent\u2019s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:<\/p>\n If Andy Burnham wants to call a snap election, we’re ready, Kemi Badenoch has said. <\/p>\n She insisted the Tories are \u201calways ready\u201d for a general election and urged him to call one if he cannot find the money to fund defence.<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 10:50<\/p>\n <\/a>Badenoch: Burnham must fix the economy before tackling cost of living<\/p>\n The Independent\u2019s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:<\/p>\n Kemi Badenoch has issued a stark warning to Andy Burnham, urging him to fix the economy first. <\/p>\n Taking aim at the swathe of new spending commitments he unveiled this week, the Tory leader told a press conference in central London: \u201cIf you try to tackle the cost of living without fixing the economy, you will fail.\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 10:46<\/p>\n <\/a>Kemi Badenoch suggests Burnham risks being like Liz Truss<\/p>\n The Independent\u2019s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:<\/p>\n Kemi Badenoch has suggested Andy Burnham risks being like Liz Truss, saying: \u201cFour years ago, a prime minister announced policies without making savings to pay for them. And it didn’t end well.\u201d <\/p>\n She added: \u201cHe doesn’t actually know what he wants to do he is thinking out loud. All we know is that it is going to cost a lot of money. <\/p>\n \u201cAndy Burnham needs to rule out tax rises to pay for his spending spree.\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 10:44<\/p>\n <\/a>Andy Burnham ‘seems like a nice guy’, Badenoch says<\/p>\n The Independent\u2019s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports: <\/p>\n Andy Burnham \u201cseems like a nice guy\u201d, Kemi Badenoch has said, but accused him of having ambitions for Britain that are \u201ctoo small\u201d. <\/p>\n She told a press conference in central London: \u201cI’m glad he’s got a sense of humour, it’s needed in this job.\u201d<\/p>\n Responding to the policies he has unveiled in his first week in office, she said: \u201cIs that it?\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cBritain is the fifth largest economy in the world. .. and our new prime minister\u2019s big ideas are \u00a32 bus fares\u201d, she said, adding: \u201cOur problems go way beyond bus fares and VAT on bills.\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker23 July 2026 10:43<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2287291122...jpeg\")
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(Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Conservative](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2287291375...jpeg\")
Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch gives a speech at IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) (Getty)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2287038870...jpeg\")
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