This Should Be A Real Vote Winner
The Tory party has launched a campaign to save the great British pub. Jeremy Hunt the shadow culture secretary has stated that many pubs up and down the country were struggling to survive, particularly against rising taxes. An online petition has been set up calling for taxes to be cut on low-alcohol drinks such as beer. Mr Hunt claimed that the government had tried to tackle binge-drinking by punishing responsible drinkers. Shadow business minister, Mark Prisk, also claimed that the future of 'great British institutions' were under threat. About a third of the cost of a pint currently goes to the Treasury in duty and that is set to rise again this year. The crazy thing is that 'alcopops', aimed at the teenage market, and a contributory factor to binge drinking have gone down in price. Representatives from the pub trade were protesting about a 13p decrease in the average price of this type of drink. The Chancellor of the Exchequer last year wanted to raise the tax on spirits to off-set some of the 2.5% reduction in VAT, he announced in the face of the gathering recession. After being told, by the Scottish whisky trade, that such a move could put the industry out of business, the Chancellor then cut the duty on spirits a few days later. As alcopops are regarded as spirits, they benefited by the cut in taxes, whilst the price of beer and wine increased.
The Tory party has launched a campaign to save the great British pub. Jeremy Hunt the shadow culture secretary has stated that many pubs up and down the country were struggling to survive, particularly against rising taxes. An online petition has been set up calling for taxes to be cut on low-alcohol drinks such as beer. Mr Hunt claimed that the government had tried to tackle binge-drinking by punishing responsible drinkers. Shadow business minister, Mark Prisk, also claimed that the future of 'great British institutions' were under threat. About a third of the cost of a pint currently goes to the Treasury in duty and that is set to rise again this year. The crazy thing is that 'alcopops', aimed at the teenage market, and a contributory factor to binge drinking have gone down in price. Representatives from the pub trade were protesting about a 13p decrease in the average price of this type of drink. The Chancellor of the Exchequer last year wanted to raise the tax on spirits to off-set some of the 2.5% reduction in VAT, he announced in the face of the gathering recession. After being told, by the Scottish whisky trade, that such a move could put the industry out of business, the Chancellor then cut the duty on spirits a few days later. As alcopops are regarded as spirits, they benefited by the cut in taxes, whilst the price of beer and wine increased.
