Vince Cable must keep his word over BISC

Speaking during the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group rally in Parliament last night - which was attended by over 80 people including CAMRA members, licensees, interest groups and MPs - Binley demanded that the Government take action over the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee (BISC) report.

The report, which was published in September, concluded that industry self regulation had failed and there should be a statutory code of practice for tenanted pubcos with an independent adjudicator.

Binley said: “The biggest battle is now going to be keeping Vince Cable to his word. I was adamant we asked that question. We had already talked to the previous minister and he had agreed with us that if pubcos hadn’t done the job then a statutory code would be supported.

“I put that question to Vince Cable right into his eyes and said ‘will you’ and he said ‘yes’. I am sorry but I think politicians need to keep their word quite frankly. And I plan to make sure that Vince Cable keeps his word. Let the word go out from this meeting Vince beware because if you don’t keep your bloody word we will be after you.”

Binley, who also sat on the previous committee into the pubco relationship, added: “I was bitterly disappointed that the pubcos didn’t have the sense to understand they were in the last chance saloon.

“The trouble is that they did not take it seriously, they thought we were joking and I am delighted to say that with Adrian Bailey (chairman of BISC) we proved we were not joking.”

The Government is expected to respond tommorrow (Thursday, November 24) via a “command paper”. These are presented to Parliament to convey information or decisions that the government think should be drawn to the attention of one or both Houses of Parliament.