Gary Neville Slams Labour’s National Insurance Hike

Gary Neville, a prominent Labour supporter and business owner, has publicly criticized Chancellor Rachel Reeves' recent employer National Insurance rise, arguing it could deter businesses from hiring and should have been postponed given current economic challenges. Despite supporting Labour and the recent minimum wage increase, Neville warned that the combined impact of both measures significantly burdens businesses, especially small firms. He acknowledged the necessity of funding public services but stressed the risk of discouraging employment. Recent reports show that nearly 50,000 UK firms are now facing critical financial distress, with consumer-facing industries particularly hard hit. Neville's remarks reflect wider concern among business leaders about the negative effects of Labour's fiscal policies during a period of economic instability. This underscores persistent uncertainty in the UK economy despite post-election optimism.