Wentworth & Dearne MP John Healey has joined with the British Beer & Pub Association, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) by sending a ‘Message in a Barrel’, calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cut beer duty in the Budget on 16th March.
Mr Healey posted his message in the handcrafted barrel, specially made by Yorkshire brewer Theakston’s, alongside almost 50 other MPs to add their voice to the campaign. The three cuts in beer duty over the past three Budgets have proved a massive boost for brewing and pubs in the UK, resulting in more affordable beer and millions of pounds of investment in pubs. However, there is still more that can be done.
Mr Healey’s message said:
“Dear Chancellor,
“The three duty cuts introduced since 2013 have secured 19,000 jobs and boosted investor confidence, with over £1bn per year invested in brewing and pubs. But the recovery in the beer and pub sector remains fragile, and Britons still pay more beer tax than any of our neighbours in the EU’s top brewing nations – 13 times more than Germany.
Please help pubs, brewers and beer drinkers across the country by cutting duty in this year’s Budget.”
Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said:
“I am delighted that so many MPs have shown their support for cutting beer duty. It is the most direct, targeted way of helping pubs. Strong support from MPs always gives a real boost to our campaign – we have built a very strong case for further duty cuts to boost employment and protect pubs, as the industry still faces big pressures.”