The Guardian8 Jun 2026Macro
Automatically composed with AI from the cited sources
Burnham, standing in the Makerfield byelection, has called for hospitality VAT to be cut from 20% to 10%, and the restaurateur Tom Kerridge said he hoped Burnham would become prime minister, launching a chef-led “VAT’s the problem” campaign. Kerridge stated that hospitality venues are closing at a rate of 21 a week, citing business rates, employer national insurance, minimum wage rises, energy bills and food inflation; he rejected Nigel Farage’s similar pledge because it would reinstate the two-child benefit cap. Other endorsers include Sacha Lord, Burnham’s adviser, Thomasina Miers of Wahaca, and the Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks, all arguing current Labour leadership does not understand the sector.