News

Wetherspoons Brexiteer boss Tim Martin says he could see himself voting Labour

Brexit-backing publican Tim Martin says he could see himself voting for Labour at the next election.

The Wetherspoons boss, who has made sizeable donations to the Conservative Party and the Vote Leave campaign in the past, says he could see himself getting behind Sir Keir Starmer in a revelation that many say shows how far Labour has drifted to the right.

The Exeter-based businessman told LBC that he’d vote Labour if the party adopts “tax equality between supermarkets and pubs”.

“I was never a Conservative supporter, I voted for Boris because he was the leader on Brexit.

“I could see myself voting for Labour if they had a decent set of policies.”

Asked if there was a certain policy that would make him vote for Labour,Martin said: “It’s hard to say…If he comes out with tax equality between supermarkets and pubs, I will vote for Keir Starmer!”

Martin donated £50,000 to the Conservative party before the 2019 election but admitted he was unaware that such a donation would give him access to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and dinners and lunches with other senior Tories.

In 2016, Martin made headlines for his unapologetic support of the Brexit campaign, donating £200,000 to the Vote Leave campaign in the same year.

Related: Suella Braverman ‘unfit for office’ after trans remarks – Willoughby

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Published by