The Sun joins beer duty escalator campaign as more than 3,000 people call for MPs to attend debate

31-Oct-2012 - Last updated on 31-Oct-2012 at 13:38 GMT

The Sun has backed industry calls to scrap the beer duty escalator and more than 3,000 people have contacted their local MP asking them to attend the Government debate being held tomorrow over the issue.

MPs will consider the future of the beer duty escalator in a three-hour debate after the Backbench Business Committee heard representations from All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group chairman MP Andrew Griffiths and All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group chairman MP Greg Mulholland last week. The representations were put forward after the e-petition asking for the end of the beer duty escalator hit 100,000 signatures.

The motion to be debated will ask for a thorough Treasury review of the economic and social impact of the beer duty escalator to report back before the 2013 budget.

In today’s issue of The Sun it said: “It’s the same sort of kick in the teeth for hard-up Brits as the disastrous pasty tax. If the PM really wants to win favour with voters, he must tell George Osborne to stop treating the traditional after-work beer as a convenient cash cow.

“And call time on this punitive booze tax.”

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) set up a website which allows people to email their MP directly. More than 3,100 people have already requested that their MP attend the debate.

While the number of MPs attending the debate is unclear a number of high profile figures will be attending including community pubs minister Brandon Lewis and Business Secretary Vince Cable’s parliamentary private secretary Tessa Munt.

Munt has already written to chancellor George Osborne calling to scrap the alcohol duty escalator. After several complaints from licensees in her constituency, Wells, Somerset, Munt explained the “likely economic and social issues that this policy is likely to exacerbate”.

On behalf of her constituents, Munt has called for:
-   Abolition of the duty escalator and a reduction in duty
-   Reduce VAT for hospitality businesses (as has happened across Europe with positive effects)
-   Reduction, adjustment or abolition of business rates
-   A minimum price on alcohol of at least 60p, forcing supermarkets to sell alcohol more responsibly and at least above cost.

She wrote: “As you will be aware the ‘Scrap the Beer Duty Escalator’ e-petition has reached 100,000 signatures, only the 12th to do so of over 16,000 launched. This clearly demonstrates the strength of feeling on this issue. I hope you will agree that a change of policy warrants your serious consideration.”

There is still time to email you MP, click here. The Publican's Morning Advertiser will be reporting on the debate as it happens.