Plymouth MP presents beer tax petition
A PETITION containing more than 1,600 signatures voicing opposition to a hike in beer tax in this week's Budget has been presented to Parliament by a Plymouth MP.
Linda Gilroy, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton, is among campaigners pressing Chancellor Alistair Darling to scrap a planned rise in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the ailing pub industry.
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A poll has shown 59 per cent of all MPs, including 41 per cent of Labour backbenchers, oppose the increase, which will see tax on beer increase by two per cent above the rate of inflation.
As part of the 'Axe the Beer Tax' campaign, Mrs Gilroy visited the Maritime Inn on the Barbican to meet Carl Beeson, the owner of the Billacombe-based Summerskills Brewery.
Mr Beeson contacted the MP after reading an article in the Plymouth Herald in which she named Summerskills as her favourite real ale.
At Westminster, she joined Emmerdale actress Adele Silva in lobbying the Government for a freeze on beer tax.
Mrs Gilroy said the campaign both supported local businesses and promoted responsible drinking.
"It's much better for people to pop down their local for a couple of pints with friends and family than it is for them to drink excessively at home," she said.
Mike Benner, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale, has already warned that a tax increase would be 'the road to ruin' for pubs.
There would be 'no losers' if beer tax was frozen at current levels, he said.
The British Beer and Pub Association argue Mr Darling would be 'flying in the face' of public opinion and his own backbenchers if he went ahead with the planned increase. The BBPA says nationally, pubs are closing at a rate of 39 a week.
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by Albert Dock, Barbican
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 9:49PM
“Linda is just being social with all them people who likes the alcohol.......how about she forwards the ideas of the home brewing of the spiritual kind. As we got no hills round here we will have to brew the Hooch in the loft....no Tax ....Bevied”
by anon, Plymouth
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 3:35PM
“flicking henry's surely there must be something more important she could raise than this, time she was ousted”
by nigel, cornwall
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 11:40AM
“dont she really care about who voted for her or is she lining her own pocket, docks water now this, if only i could believe she would get something done”
by William, plymouth
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 11:25AM
“Rearrange these words into a well known phrase or saying:
jumps Gilroy bandwagon on Linda again.
She's on over £200,000 a year with salary and expenses, yet she only seems to own one jacket - the red one.”
by cynical sid, reality land
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 9:52AM
“Alex ... great idea.... its the only place that still allows smoking while paying for heavily taxed ale... they made sure they were ok .... as usual.”
by Alex, Plymouth
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 9:29AM
“Cant Linda arrange some 1st class train tickets for us all to go on a trip up to London and drink in the Members Bar where booze is at cost price.
She ll be pleading for us to keep her back in office next.”
by Will, Plymouth
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 9:23AM
“Gilroy out, waste someone elses time and money”
by nope, devland
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 9:05AM
“i dont like that picture”
by Keith, Eggbuckland
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 8:19AM
“Linda - Water Charges, remember you promised to sort these out, stop jumping from one headline grabbing issue to another, stick with one and sort it.
Beer is a luxury, water is not, priorities get them in the right order.”
by cynical sid, reality land
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 7:37AM
“Hope she whispers in their ear that the smoking ban is the prime cause .... but she wont ... because they just wont admit a mistake . They will blame it on supermarkets selling cheaper .... even though the sold it for donkeys years at a cheaper price ... bring back landlords freedom of choice ... they are the ones that know how to run the pub trade ... not half a dozen middle class wishy washy nimbys who only ever go the pub to get a picture done to help with getting elected .”