Labour leader Keir Starmer visits The Portsmouth Distillery to rally support for independent businesses

By Richard Lemmer
Published 4th Dec 2020, 17:00 BST
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LABOUR leader Keir Starmer has praised Portsmouth as a ‘great city’ during a visit to a distillery – and called for more people to join the News campaign to support local businesses.

Sir Keir, alongside Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan and shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds, visited The Portsmouth Distillery in Fort Cumberland on Thursday ahead of Small Business Saturday.

The party leader praised the gin-maker for using its facilities to turn out hand sanitiser during the pandemic – and said he looked forward to trying the firm’s more appetising wares.

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The MP for Holborn and St Pancras said: ‘It’s always good to come to Portsmouth and to support small business.

Keir Starmer visited The Portsmouth Distillery to promote Small Business Saturday. Picture: Labour Party.Keir Starmer visited The Portsmouth Distillery to promote Small Business Saturday. Picture: Labour Party.
Keir Starmer visited The Portsmouth Distillery to promote Small Business Saturday. Picture: Labour Party.

‘(The Portsmouth Distillery) is an example of what small business in Portsmouth and elsewhere have been doing during the pandemic.

‘People are proud of businesses like this. They love the idea of people pulling together in times of trouble.’

He added; ‘I haven’t tried any of the gin – I have a number of meetings today so I didn’t think it was a good idea – but I’m sure I’ll try it sooner or later.’