Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “gaslighting Britons” in a furious tirade, as his plans for pub licensing reforms were torn apart by broadcaster Mike Parry.

Mr Parry said on GB News that plans to extend opening hours for pubs and bars across England and Wales are a “waste of time”.

Revealing his plans, the Prime Minister said: “Pubs and bars are the beating heart of our communities. We’re backing them to thrive.

“This review is about cutting red tape, boosting footfall, and making it easier for venues to put on the kind of events that bring people together. When our locals do well, our economy does too.”

Discussing the plan on GB News, Mr Parry fumed: “Do you know what this is? Another policy from the current Government in which they are literally trying to gaslight us.

“They come up with a bit of good news and say ‘we’re going to extend opening hours at pubs’, well, let me tell you something, pubs in this country are reducing their hours.”

Highlighting the scale of the struggle pubs are facing in the UK, the broadcaster added: “The reason they’re reducing the hours is they simply can’t afford to employ the staff.

“Some pubs I know in the stockbroker belt of Surrey, where I live, don’t open on Monday and Tuesday because there’s not a sufficient amount of drinkers in there.”

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Mr Parry added: “They’re cutting back on hours and the Government says ‘no, we can open until three and four in the morning’. Well, I don’t think many people would want that.”

In agreement with Mr Parry, broadcaster Penny Smith argued that the Government should increase the price of supermarket alcohol and reduce prices in pubs, to help support their businesses.

She explained: “The trouble is, it’s not what’s needed. What’s needed is the price in supermarkets to go up, and the price in pubs to go down.

“But it’s so expensive. I love a proper pint, like real ale, which involves barrels being changed.

“And the trouble is, of course, is that people look at the prices in the pubs and they just go, ‘well, I can preload going down the supermarket’.”

Mr Parry then added: “It is £6.70 for a pint in the pub nearest to our studios here, and three bottles of beer in Tesco’s is £6.60.”

Delivering his verdict on the proposed reforms, GB News host Cameron Walker concluded that it is a “no brainer” for Britons to drink at home rather than the pub, due to the current prices.

He said: “There we go, it’s a no brainer, particularly in London. I can’t remember the last time I got a pint for under a fiver.”