Mark Daniels: Did someone say "Election"?

Call me cynical, but isn't it strange that in the past week politicians seem to be scrambling left right and centre to do what they can to help the pub trade?

Now, I might not necessarily agree with the stance of unions such as the GMB, but I also won't take away credit from them and organisations like Fair Pint for doing what they can to try and help publicans - and it'll come as no surprise that both will no doubt cry that the politicians sudden change of heart is all down to their hard work - but let's not forget that we're now barely a month away from a general election.

Given that pubs might be becoming a bit of a political hot potato, Tuesday's event in Parliament had MPs Gerry Sutcliffe, Tobias Ellwood and Don Foster all calling for the issue of the Beer Tie to be put to the Competition Commission with immediate effect, although Foster did temper his argument with the very honest comment that the issue with the Tie is probably more to do with the way some operators are running it than the principles of the Tie itself.

The issue of supermarket pricing was also raised, again with Don Foster making the comment that "with pre-loading, you (the licensee) are being unfairly blamed."

Doesn't it strike you as strange that - after all these years of us shouting that drinking at home by young people who have managed to obtain alcohol cheaply from the off-trade is the root cause of the problem - the issue is suddenly only of political concern within weeks of an election?

Despite this, in less than two weeks the first stage of the Government's Mandatory Code will be brought in to force despite huge opposition across the trade and, apparently, from politicians too. And it barely covers the issue of supermarket booze.

And today, following Tuesday's "positive" arguments in Parliament, the Pubs Minister John Healey has announced a raft of new measures to help pubs. Four million pounds is pledged, promises that the Beer Tie will be slashed, and stiff legislation if the pub companies don't agree to conform.

Regardless of the comments voiced in Tuesday's meeting, the new proposition by John Healey doesn't appear (at first glance at least) to address some of the biggest issues facing the pub trade, including the smoking ban, the mandatory code, pub business rates or, indeed, the issues of easily-accessible, cheap alcohol via the off-trade.

It also supports the period of grace recommended by the BISC report for giving pub companies time to get their house in order, rather than an instant referral to the Competition Commission as suggested by the three MPs on Tuesday.

It does, however, threaten that pubcos will be held accountable if they don't allow their tied tenants to buy locally-sourced guest ales for sale alongside their normal tied compliment of products. But initial details appear hazy: what is defined as local? How many different local beers can we sell alongside those that we are tied to? How often can we do it? And what if the "local" brewer also happens to be the pub's landlord?

Alongside this apparently-draconian measure to save the tied tenant, which mentions nothing about the price of tied product, the government have also pledged four million pounds to help save community pubs, which just makes me think that, in order to come up with an idea to help the pub trade, John Healey watched a bit of Blighty TV before Christmas.

Whilst I am pleased that the Government have finally got in on the act of trying to save pubs, I can't help but think that these new powers will do little to change the current status quo and it all smacks severely of electioneering.

But while politicians are doing their bit to try and make publicans feel all warm and cosy about which box to put their cross in, only one man truly wields enough power to make an instant difference to this trade.

He's due to speak next Wednesday. And I'm prepared to bet that he's not going to do anything to help us at all.

Interesting Quote of the Week

This week has seen the battle of words between the BBPA and the GMB escalate, with Brigid Simmonds writing to general secretary Paul Kenny to let him know that if his organisation continues with their threat of 'industrial action' against the pub companies, they will seek an injunction and take legal action.

In response, Paul Kenny said that the BBPA had picked the wrong organisation to bully.

And then, on Tuesday, he said that he wasn't ready to push the button on industrial action yet. "I am not frightened of taking action," Paul Kenny said when he refused to set a date for the strike, "but I am frightened of losing and letting people down."

That's all any self-employed business person needs to hear to know that, should you breach the terms of your contract, you can expect to be taken to court for it...