Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has pledged her support for the ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign to help pubs in Edinburgh West keep their doors open.
She joins more than 100,000 signatories to a petition calling on the Government to cut beer tax at the Budget on 29 October 2018.
Campaigners say that £1 in every £3 pounds spent in UK pubs is paid to in tax and that British drinkers now pay 40% of all beer tax across the EU, but drink only 12% of the beer.
Ms Jardine says that brewing and pubs in Edinburgh West support 822 jobs, and contribute £21.9m to the local economy.
Ms Jardine explained : “Pubs are at the heart of communities across Edinburgh West, but with three British pubs closing their doors for good every day, the Government needs to consider a cut in beer tax.
“I’m supporting the ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign and calling on the Chancellor to cut beer tax at this year’s Budget to support pubs in our local communities.”
Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said:“Beer duty has increased by 60% over the last 17 years and now the UK has one of the highest rates of tax in Europe.
“When over two thirds of all alcoholic drinks purchased in the pub are beers, a cut in beer tax would go a long way to protecting pubs across Edinburgh West.
“We are very grateful to Christine Jardine for her support for the Long Live the Local campaign, and hope that the Government listens to MPs across Parliament and the thousands of people across the country who are calling for a cut in beer tax to protect our pubs.”
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