BREAKING: Marcus Jones is named pub minister
Jones, the Conservative MP for Nuneaton, becomes the third pubs minister in less than a year after Brandon Lewis and the most recent incumbent, Kris Hopkins.
He has previously received a ‘Beer Champion’ award from the British Beer and Pub Association and the Society of Independent Brewers for his support which resulted in three consecutive duty cuts and the scrapping of the beer duty escalator.
Speaking at the time, he said: “I am proud to be speaking up for pubs in Nuneaton. Well-run community pubs play a crucial role in local life and make a huge contribution to the local economy with each injecting around £80,000 in to the area each year.”
Jones also supported CAMRA’s election manifesto, which called for MPs to back community pubs and represent pubs goers.
However, he toed the party line and voted against the market only rent option in last year’s parliamentary debate,
Hopkins has been moved to the Whip’s office in the role of Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, where his duties include the organisation of parliamentary business and writing a daily report to the Queen on proceedings in the House of Commons. His departure will not be mourned by many in the trade, who criticised him for his lack of visibility and for “doing nothing noticeable”.
Elsewhere in Westminster, newly re-elected Greg Mulholland has urged ministers to ‘wake up and stop fobbing people off’ when it comes to planning regulations. The Liberal Democrat MP and Save the Pub chair argued that current asset of community value (ACV) legislation is like ‘using a sledgehammer to crack an acorn’
Mulholland said: “ACVs alone are not the answer and ministers have led people up a blind alley. If they were honest and really cared about pubs they would accept they need to be in the same category as theatres or nightclubs, which require planning permission before they can be demolished or have their use altered.”
He also outlined intentions to campaign for tax relief for community pubs and business rates reform.
More detail of the new government’s policies will be revealed in the Queen’s speech on 27 May.
