Hobgoblin names and shames MPs not in support of beer duty cuts

25-Jan-2013 - Last updated on 25-Jan-2013 at 08:18 GMT

Scrap the beer duty escalator: Andrew Griffiths poses with the Hobgoblin

Wychwood Brewery’s Hobgoblin has renewed its campaign to scrap the beer duty escalator by naming and shaming the MPs who are not in support of the initiative.

The brewery has launched a new ‘British Pubs Need You’ website, to gain momentum in the run up to the Budget. It displays how many letters MPs have been sent, and lists the MPs that have not shown their support.

The site also has a letter explaining the “unfair tax” which licensees and customers can email or text to their MP.

The epetition to scrap the beer duty escalator, which was set up by Hobgoblin, broke the 100,000-signature target last year. It resulted in a three-hour debate in Parliament with MPs voting unanimously for a review of the escalator. And the Campaign for Real Ale held a mass lobby in December.

Wychwood Brewery manager Chris Keating said: “As the instigator of the e-petition against the beer duty escalator, it’s only right that the Hobgoblin continues to lead the campaign against this unfair tax that is crippling our industry – what better way to do this than targeting the MPs that make our policies? Once again we are calling on everybody who values the Great British pub and everyone connected with the drinks industry to take action.”

All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group chairman Andrew Griffiths MP, who began the EDM, added: “As a result of the campaign we have a real chance to convince George Osborne to scrap the hated beer duty escalator. The more MPs we can get on our side, the more chance we have of getting a result for brewers, publicans and beer drinkers.”

Visit www.wychwood.co.uk/bpny to lobby your MP.