Voice of London

A favourite pre-drink spot for millennials, JD Wetherspoon, is sharing its own Brexit manifesto on 500,000 beer mats within 895 pubs across the UK.

JD Wetherspoon stated: “The message calls on Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, Vince Cable and MPs to stop messing about and endorse Wetherspoon’s three point manifesto.”

The three point manifesto consists of the following:

1) “The UK should unilaterally and immediately grant rights of citizenship to legal EU immigrants.”

2) “The EU currently charges taxes on food imported outside the EU. From March 2019, the government can and should eliminate these import taxes. This will result in a reduction in food prices in shops and pubs.”

3) “From March 2019, the government should also stop paying the EU £200m per week. The money disappears into EU coffers, which have not been audited properly since 1994.”

However, this isn’t the first time Wetherspoons have engaged in politics when cushioning our drinks. In 2016, they printed 500,000 beer mats campaigning for the country to leave the EU and “take back control”.

It’s highly probable that the beer mats were unpopular with roughly 48% of people.

Commenting on the result of the UK referendum, Tim Martin, Weatherspoon founder, chairman and Brexiteer, said: “The UK will thrive as an independent country, making its own laws, and we will work with our good friends and neighbours in Europe and elsewhere to ensure a positive outcome for all parties.”

But despite stating that the UK was in an “immensely strong position”, Martin is still putting his mark on brexit, quite literally.

Can the popular chain really be using their name to reinforce their own political ideologies?

Twitter didn’t think so.

In a Voice of London Poll, we asked Twitter users if they thought it was right to print their ‘no deal’ brexit manifesto on their beer mats. The results revealed that 69% disagreed.

One Twitter user responded that the beer mats were “very good” but the overall the response on Twitter was highly negative.

“You’re a pub. Just a pub. Not a political party. Now bore off Tim [chairman]. You’re tiring me” – @elganio20

“Because I love propaganda with a pint and indifferently microwaved food. Drop the politicking, it just annoys people” – @SailorOfStars

“When I was old enough to legally go to the pub my Dad told me to avoid talking religion and politics. It was sound advice. It still is” – @PeteKitching

“Will be avoiding the spoons from now on then. Way to go alienating half of your customers…” – @TaylorandBesty

“I was never a fan of your pubs, but occasionally visited them. Not any more. Boycotted, for your Brexit propaganda” – @SnigsKitchen 

Looks like our meals could become a little cheaper alongside our brexit beer mats.

That is if the Wetherspoons, who ironically use the EU colour scheme, manifesto gets a say.

Tweet us your thoughts on political pubs at @VoiceOfLondonUK.

Words: Charlotte Racher | Subbing: Rituja Rao