Kmflett's Blog

Reform election stunts always find a ready and often credulous media audience.

Farage popped up in Golders Green on 30th April to condemn anti-Semitism. It certainly should be condemned and Farage does know of what he speaks since he is still to properly deny claims from Jewish students when he was at Dulwich College that he was a holocaust denier.

Meanwhile a little to the East a coachload of Reform supporters have been complaining that they were refused service at a Wetherspoons. The manager was filmed (obviously without permission) refusing to serve a couple of Reform types.

The claim was of course that service was refused because the individuals were Reform supporters. This prompted a rare-ish correction from Spoons. They pointed out that not only was the Reform coach parked in the pub’s loading bay but they were filming at the pub presumably as some kind of election stunt.

It cant be claimed that Wetherspoons is not political. The thoughts of Chairman Tim are readily available inside and actually on *some* points- beer taxes he is right.

As an active socialist and a regular pub go-er I have no issue with politics and pubs. You’d expect a range and friendly chat and if that doesn’t work there are always other subjects- is there any chance Spurs won’t get relegated seems popular at the moment.

There are also of course some pubs that are known as trade union type bars or those that have a left-ish clientele (and conversely those that don’t) but anyone should feel welcome, otherwise its not really a pub.

Of course you can have political events at many pubs. Rooms can be hired if speeches etc are happening or areas reserved if its mainly drinks.

What happened in Spoons Braintree was something that at least some Reform supporters are known for- a sense of entitlement. Of course they could take over the pub for an election stunt. Well, actually, no, they couldn’t