Darling closes more pubs

After the "pre-budget report" which in truth is just spin so that the Government can raise taxes twice a year, we have seen another duty increase. At this rate, in a few years time all we will have to drink in will be Superpubs. Yes, we have a 2.5% cut in VAT so we can all go out and buy Chinese electrical goods for Christmas but this is being paid for by an 8% increase in alcohol duty. This means that this year, we have seen an increase in alcohol duty by 17%. Now if you are a teetotal bible-bashing Jock living in Downing Street this is not going to effect you, especially when you're already banned from every pub in the country (something Alastair Darling has in common with gypsies), but for the average pub goer this is another hit in the wallet.

According to Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, “The Chancellor's refusal to allow beer drinkers to benefit from a VAT reduction means that 7,500 pubs could close by the end of 2012. The Government's failure to support pubs will undermine community life, ruin livelihoods and deprive people of an affordable night out at a local pub.”

Whilst Shepherd Neame boss Jonathan Neame said before the budget"The Chancellor would be guilty of “gross cultural vandalism” if he did not cut duty on beer in his Pre-Budget Report to help save community pubs".

So under Labour our pubs are being destroyed.

Also check out the Drinkers Alliance, who have this online petition:

A message from the Drinkers' Alliance follows:

Drinkers will be paying the price for bailing out the economy thanks to this Government. The Chancellor has just announced that ordinary drinkers like you will be unfairly hit with even higher tax rises. The rates of duty for alcohol will be increased by 8 per cent, making the increase this year a whopping 17 per cent!

Click here to sign our petition to say no!

Despite a cut in VAT, the politicians have singled out alcohol as one of just a few items that will see no price relief at all. And even more, when the VAT cut is suspended, alcohol taxes will go even higher!

That means you'll pay more for your favourite drinks because the Chancellor doesn't think you'll fight back.

But we know you will. So sign the petition here:
http://www.drinkersalliance.com

And when you are done, ask five friends to sign up to the Drinkers Alliance. The more people we have signed up, the harder it is for politicians to ignore us.

Thank you for your support.

Drinkers Alliance

There are some very good points on the Publican site as well, link here
and of course Fido gives it a good report

Personally after this latest tax rise by the Government, no one in the right mind should be voting labour in the next General Election. The Labour Government have ruined our pubs, our economy and our country. My local MP is not even in Parliament at the moment, having dropped another sprog and is taking maternity leave again. Photo at the top of this page is the former Seven Styles, ex-Lliswerry, which was demolished last month and is in the constituency of Jessica Morden, sprog dropping new labour apologist and apparatchik and for Newport East.