A distinguished Labour donor and former adviser to Andy Burnham vows to withhold all future contributions till Keir Starmer steps down as Prime Minister. Sacha Lord, the entrepreneur behind the Parklife Pageant and Warehouse Mission, describes feeling duped by Starmer, labeling him as poisonous.
Harsh Criticism from Hospitality Chief
Sacha Lord es deep frustration, stating, “I really feel duped as a donor. I really feel lied to, I really feel conned. And as a Labour Occasion donor I’d by no means ever give one other penny to the Labour Occasion below its present management. I feel it’s completely disgusting – simply parking my sector to at least one aspect and we’re being completely crucified – we’ve acquired conversations about paedophilia and intercourse trafficking proper to the center of presidency. We’re a worldwide embarrassment in the intervening time.”
Lord rallied hospitality business assist for Labour earlier than the election, assuring colleagues that Rachel Reeves would champion small unbiased companies and revitalize excessive streets. Nevertheless, the Chancellor’s swift choice to extend employers’ Nationwide Insurance coverage contributions, adopted by substantial enterprise charges hikes, left him surprised.
When requested about regrets over aiding Labour’s victory, Lord replies, “Completely. I bitterly remorse it, I completely do.” He provides, “I’ve by no means felt, in my sector, extra involved about what’s going to occur within the subsequent – by no means thoughts two to 3 years – few months. She’s simply not engaged – each herself and the PM – haven’t engaged hospitality within the slightest.”
Predictions of Management Turmoil
Lord forecasts Starmer’s ousting by way of a management coup following the Could native elections. He anticipates vital losses for Labour councillors, declaring, “Labour will lose so many actually good hard-working councillors… by way of no fault of their very own due to the PM and Rachel Reeves. That is demise by a thousand cuts… we’re watching the entire thing crumble.”
He contrasts his conventional Labour values with the present social gathering, noting, “My values are nonetheless conventional Labour values, however this isn’t a standard Labour Occasion. This can be a Labour Occasion that’s utterly uncontrolled. I don’t know who’s working the nation in the intervening time. They’re all making strikes within the background to save lots of their very own jobs and careers, and what they should be doing is working the nation that I really feel is probably the most divided and bitter it’s ever been.”
Lord highlights Starmer’s absence from the Gorton and Denton by-election marketing campaign as proof of his toxicity.
Increase from Rayner and Burnham
At a latest night-time economic system convention in Liverpool, Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham acquired reward from Lord. Rayner urged Reeves to cut back taxes and lower crimson tape for companies, warning that frequent coverage shifts erode confidence in politics.
Rayner shares insights from enterprise discussions: “Over the previous few weeks, I’ve spoken candidly with companies in my very own constituency, and lots of past it, and so they say it is an enormous problem that they are dealing with, and it is a problem simply to remain afloat. Clients aren’t simply there in the way in which they was once, as enterprise charges stay punishingly excessive, power payments soar and prices in your provide chains and VAT chunk.”
Lord calls Rayner’s remarks “so refreshing,” viewing them as a major intervention amid social gathering tensions.

