Time To Fight Back Against Labour's War On The Local Pub

It takes something nowadays to be shocked the sheer brass neck of Labour Ministers. But I was a little astonished to see a few of them popping up in photo opportunities in their local pubs in recent weeks, to demonstrate their affinity with local pubs. This would be the Ministers of the same Government that has knowingly run down local pubs over the past decade.

This Government has a joyless, puritanical streak that runs through all of its policies. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in their policy towards people who enjoy an occasional drink in their local pub. Beer tax went up by 18 per cent in 2008. Not content with that hammer blow to local publicans, they increased the beer tax by 2 per cent above inflation in this year's Budget. 33% of the cost of every pint now goes to the taxman.

This puritanical desire to punish people who enjoy a quiet pint has
resulted in more than 52 pubs closing a week. With each of those pubs has gone a large number of jobs and an important centre of community life.

Lets be clear about this. I think the pub is the beating heart of the community. I'm proud of the fact that we have some magnificent watering holes in North Durham and I'm going to do all that I can to make sure that they continue to prosper and serve their community. That is why I'm backing CAMRA's 'Save Our Pubs' campaign - http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=294840 and the Conservative Party's campaign and signing this petition to Save The Great British pub -http://www.conservatives.com/Campaigns/Save_the_Great_British_Pub/Petition_Item.aspx