I support the Axe the Beer Tax campaign to save our pubs. The problems with alcohol misuse do not lie at the door of the pub but with the proliferation of supermarket discount schemes making a night out at the pub costly compared to a night in. It is just another example where the Labour Government is not understanding the impact of its policies. A sense of community is worth preserving and local pubs are part of that community.
Our MP Don Foster is a keen supporter of the campaign and was one of only 3 MPs at the campaign launch before Xmas. He is also on the official YouTube campaign video. Liberal Democrats fully support BUT have a range of additional issues that will support local pubs from tackling the pubcos who rip off tenants, minimum pricing to deal with super cheap prices in supermarkets and changes to stakes and prizes on category B3 and C machines.
Below is an email that was sent to many Councillors7
Dear Cllr ,
I am writing to make you aware of the ‘Axe the Beer Tax – Save the Pub’
campaign and to ask you to help.
The pub is a vital hub for many local communities, places where people come
together to socialise, raise money for charity or run sports clubs. Yet six are
closing every day and a record 2,000 pubs have closed in the last year,
resulting in 20,000 job lost.
The campaign has already gained considerable public support and is growing in
momentum. More than 40,000 members of the public have signed up as supporters
to the campaign and about 200 MPs have lent their support, including 95 Labour
and 59 Lib Dems with the Conservatives also launching their own Save the Pubs
Campaign.
The ‘Axe the Beer Tax – Save the Pub’ campaign was launched by the
British Beer & Pub Association and CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) and
has five key demands of Government:
1. Axe plans to increase beer tax by a third
2. Enforce existing laws, not create new ones, to
deal firmly with irresponsible drinkers and premises
3. End the irresponsible promotion of alcohol in
supermarkets, pubs and elsewhere
4. Trust responsible adults to make informed choices
about what they drink, not to punish them for the actions of an irresponsible
minority
5. Support the British pub as a vital part of social
life in local communities
The immediate focus of the campaign is to persuade the chancellor to scrap
plans to impose a 2% above inflation increase in beer tax – even though
already tax amounts to 33% of the price of a pint.
You can help to make the Government think again by:
1. Signing up in support at www.axethebeertax.com/support-us.aspx and urging your colleagues and constituents to sign up too;
2. Contacting your MP and urge him or her to sign
EDM 10 by using our online lobbying tool;
3. Link your blog or website to the Axe the Beer Tax
website and embed our beer taxometer;
4. Use the materials on the Axe the Beer Tax website
(www.axethebeertax.com/downloads.aspx)
to highlight the campaign including using our logos, posters and beer mats etc;
5. Contacting your local pubs to help produce a
petition to Save the British Pub.
If you need any further information, please do get in touch with the campaign
by emailing info@axethebeertax.com.
Many thanks for your support.
Dr David Long
Chief Executive, British Beer & Pub Association
Mike Benner
Chief Executive, CAMRA