Vince Cable says the government has left pubs in the lurch

The Sun quoted Vince Cable's condemnation of the government's failure to provide the business rate relief it has promised them the other day.

The Liberal Democrat leader was commenting on the party's own research showing that 4500 pubs across England have been left out of pocket and lacking any funding from the government since the revaluation of rates.

Vince said:

"Thousands of pubs faced with crippling tax hikes are being left in the lurch by this government. 

"This rushed scheme has been plagued with problems from the start. Local councils have had to deal with software glitches, a lack of clear guidance from ministers and little time to prepare. 

"Pubs form the bedrock of local communities across the country, but many now worry they will have to close their doors. 

"Instead of this temporary sticking plaster, we need to properly protect pubs by capping business rate rises at 12.5 per cent."

Many voters who supported Brexit did so because they had a sense that British culture was somehow under threat.

One of the most valuable institutions of that culture is the pub, yet this Brexit government appears perfectly happy to allow it to perish.

Which suggests that Brexit will not provide its supporters with what they wanted from it.