Responding to the publication of the Conservative Party General Election manifesto, CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said:
“It is encouraging to see the Conservative manifesto reconfirming the party’s commitment to the new system of alcohol taxation and the lower rate of duty charged on draught beer and cider served in our pubs, social clubs and brewery taprooms – so that tax on pints in pubs is always lower than that on supermarket alcohol.
“CAMRA is calling on the next UK Government to commit to extend the discount on tax for draught beer and cider to turbocharge this new alcohol duty system and give consumers, local pubs and independent breweries the boost they need to survive and thrive.
“Committing to extending the Community Ownership Fund is also a welcome pledge which would make sure that local groups can access funding they need to save their local pub as a community hub if it is under threat of closure, conversion or demolition.
“In addition, the Conservative proposal to review the night-time economy in England with a view to reversing the decline in pub numbers would provide an opportunity to show how transforming tax, regulation and planning laws could help save the nation’s much-loved pubs being lost to the communities they serve.”
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Notes to editors:
CAMRA is urging the public to contact their MP candidates in the run up to the General Election. Email your General Election candidates now with the Campaign’s e-lobby: https://action.camra.org.uk/page/151385/action/1
CAMRA’s General Election manifesto and our campaigning priorities for the next UK Government – including fairer tax, consumer rights, planning protections and better business rates for pubs – is now on our website. See our asks for the next UK Government here: https://www1.camra.org.uk/take-action/general-election-2024
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