The TV presenter-turned-publican, who runs The Farmer’s Dog in Burford, Oxfordshire, confirmed on Saturday (13 December) that all Labour MPs were barred from the pub after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced further tax hikes at the Autumn Budget.
Though there was one notable exception. Markus Campbell-Savours, who has been the MP for Penrith and Solway since 2024, is welcome at the Cotswolds pub “any time”, the former Top Gear host said.
Clarkson, who also runs the Diddly Squat Farm in Chipping Norton, did not say why Campbell-Savours made the cut. However, earlier this month the MP had the Labour whip suspended after voting against plans to extend inheritance tax to farmers.
Rising burden
Previously, the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire star had only banned Prime Minister Keir Starmer from the Farmer’s Dog. In total, there are 404 Labour MPs caught in the backlash.
Posting on X, Clarkson said: “To be clear, I have banned all Labour MPs from my pub, except one: Markus Campbell Savours. He’s welcome any time. And not just because the Labour Party has now sacked him.”
Earlier this month, James Fowler, owner of the Larder House in Southbourne, started the movement with a sign on his door barring Labour MPs in protest of the Government’s Budget and the rising burden of business rates.
Clear message
Fowler said the decision reflected deepening concerns about the sustainability of the sector.
- The ‘No Labour MPs’ poster and sticker are available to download on Wonky Table, here.
“Something needs to be done. We are raising our voices and kicking back at the Government. This is a clear direct message back to them by affecting MPs on the ground,” he said.
The action has since gained national traction, with a growing number of operators across the country joining the fight, describing the situation as a tipping point for hospitality.
