One-third of MPs back the motion against supermarket alcohol pricing

Related tags Mps House of lords Democracy John grogan

One in three MPs able to vote on Parliamentary motions has called on supermarkets to stop using alcohol as a loss leader.The campaign against...

One in three MPs able to vote on Parliamentary motions has called on supermarkets to stop using alcohol as a loss leader.

The campaign against supermarket pricing is continuing to gain momentum, with 176 MPs now signed up to Early Day Motion (EDM) 495 making it the 17th-most popular motion out of 1,195 in the House.

One of the latest MPs to sign up is Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat shadow spokeswoman for the Department for Trade and Industry.

MP John Grogan tabled the EDM, drafted by The Publican, on December 13. It calls on supermarkets to stop using alcohol as a loss leader.

Grogan said: ³It¹s a great achievement and on average MPs are getting more than half a dozen pubs supporting the campaign.

"As someone who grew up listening to the charts we can¹t be happy with number 17. We need to get in the top 10. ² The number of signatories becomes even more impressive when it is taken into account that 100 government ministers are unable to sign such motions. Of the 646 MPs, only around 550 are able to sign.

The Publican has been lobbying MPs to add their names to the motion. The EDM, which has been signed by MPs from all three main political parties, suggests that binge-drinking is being fuelled not by pubs but by cheap alcohol sold in supermarkets.

Grogan has called on the big four supermarkets to discuss the issue in a meeting at the House of Commons on April 18th. Only two of the supermarkets Sainsbury¹s and Morrisons have so far agreed to attend.