Claim e5cd1ec0Checked 21 Jul 2026
TrueOn the truth scale
“Rosie Duffield and Sir Roger Gale hosted industry bodies yesterday.”
—Rosie DuffieldIndependentInd / Canterbury·Engagements·03 Jun 2026Factual · historical current chronological
Reasoning & Evidence21 Jul 2026
The evidence confirms that Rosie Duffield hosted a hospitality roundtable event in Westminster in the days preceding her PMQs question on 3 June 2026, and that Sir Roger Gale was present as a fellow MP. The Kent Online article (published 6 June 2026) states: "Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield, who hosted a discussion with restaurateurs, top chefs such as Thomasina Miers and Matt Tebbutt, hospitality industry leaders and fellow MPs, including Herne Bay and Sandwich's Sir Roger Gale, in Westminster earlier this week." A LinkedIn post from the Institute of Hospitality confirms their CEO attended "a parliamentary round table convened by Rosie Duffield MP" alongside Sacha Lord and other hospitality leaders. The Morning Advertiser (3 June 2026) also confirms Duffield "recently hosted a meeting with industry leaders from Manchester, Liverpool and Kent."
The speech describes the event as "yesterday" (i.e., 2 June 2026), and the Kent Online article's "earlier this week" phrasing is consistent with that timeline. Industry bodies and hospitality leaders were present. The only minor ambiguity is whether Sir Roger Gale co-hosted or attended as a participant — the Kent Online article frames it as Duffield hosting with Gale as one of the "fellow MPs" present, while the speech implies joint hosting. However, the core factual assertion — that Duffield and Gale hosted an event with industry bodies the day before the speech — is corroborated by multiple sources.
Sources: Kent Online — "Landlords back VATsTheProblem campaign to halve VAT for hospitality industry amid 'crucifying' rates for Kent pubs and restaurants" (https://www.kentonline.co.uk/whitstable/news/pub-bosses-back-calls-for-vat-reduction-amid-crucifying-ra-341184/); Institute of Hospitality LinkedIn post (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/institute-of-hospitality_vatstheproblem-hospitality-instituteofhospitality-activity-7472687280114053122-JTDY); Morning Advertiser — "Keir Starmer challenged on hospitality VAT at PMQs" (https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2026/06/03/keir-starmer-challenged-on-hospitality-vat-at-pmqs/)
From speech
Q5. This week, Tom Kerridge and UKHospitality launched their “VAT’s the Problem” campaign, and yesterday my neighbour the right hon. Member for Herne Bay and Sandwich (Sir Roger Gale) and I hosted industry bodies, chefs Matt Tebbutt and Thomasina Myers and hospitality leaders from Manchester, Liverpool, London and Kent, including Andy Burnham’s night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord. They all agree with campaigners such as Andy Lennox that the UK’s rate of 20% VAT on hospitality is killing businesses daily. Does the Prime Minister agree that VAT’s the problem? Will he match the pledge of his candidate in Makerfield to slash VAT in line with the rest of Europe?
Sources opened