Ministers today called for Labour to apologise for all the community pubs that closed their doors thanks to the Labour Government’s policies.
Official figures show there was a net closure of 3,530 pubs across England under Labour from 1997 to 2010.
"Labour hiked taxes on pubs and did nothing to stop unfair loss-leading by supermarkets" said Grant Shapps, Minister for Local Government.
(italics are mine)
I would be interested to see the amount of pubs that closed down since the smoking ban came into force. An overturn of the smoking ban would do wonders for the pub trade, Mr Shapps. Or even legislation that we see in Spain. But no, it's the big bad supermarkets to blame.
Because 'loss leading' is a new thing, isn't it?
Action must be taken then...
From the Localism Bill, due to be introduced in November,
There will be a ban the sale of alcohol below cost price, helping protect local pubs from unfair ‘loss leading’ by some supermarkets.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Meanwhile, up here in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Controlling Bastards, we have this and this.
Next week, expect the announcement of a wanking tax.
8 comments:
Sorry Rab but I must be missing your point here. Apart from grandstanding and being amazingly naive, I don't see why the new boys are at fault?
They want to introduce legislation that prevents supermarkets from going about their business for one and the obvious reason for the pub closures is the smoking ban, but they have totally side stepped that!
Maybe you can tell me what possesses Scots to repeatedly elect SNP autocrats and that total bitch Sturgeon Rab. I get the bit about independence and not liking the English a whole lot, but why would you want to replace them with such a worthless bunch of local born control freaks.
Anon, I have no idea.
The SNP are as every bit as bad as Labour.
Rab
The Condems wont allow a wanking tax as it will be mostly levied in the Tory areas as that is were all the wankers live..........
Well yeah, of course it's the smoking ban.
But if we gloss over that and go with the bollocks nonsense that supermarkets undercut pubs, why don't we look at the tax that contributes most towards the price difference between a pub and a supermarket.
Is it beer duty?
Nope. That's a fixed amount per unit, and so all things being equal reduces the price differential.
It is VAT. Simple maths tells us this.
PS, the Tories have merrily just hiked VAT to 20%, in line with what the EU told us to do. This will of course increase the price differential between supermarkets and pubs, and so the rate at which pubs shut will go up.
PS, I hardly go to pubs since the smoking ban, so I quite like it if beer is cheap in supermarkets. Like where you work :-)
Rab, I would love to see the Tories get a go at Holyrood sometime soon before the rest of them bugger up the country for good. Not had the Tories in charge here for years, and they still get the blame for all our woes.
And what have we got in this socialist utopia, a country totally dependent on the State and still blaming everyone else. Our lefty pals at Holyrood are even banning it or making it compulsary these days, its like animal farm gone mad. And that includes booze,fags and pub rules. And you cannae blame this Con/Libdem team for that lot of crap legislation.
This wanking tax, will I be exempt if I use my other hand or my girlfriend gives me a hand job?
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