Great to thank our poll winner @edballsmp for promise to support pubs with energy bill and business rates freeze pic.twitter.com/VmkLPGhqfZ
— CAMRA (@CAMRA_Official) September 25, 2013
So let's get this straight, Labour overwhelmingly backed the smoking ban in 2007 which led to pubs being slaughtered at an alarming rate. Not a rate fast enough for Labour though, it seems, so they installed the beer duty escalator in 2008 leading to tax on beer increasing by 42%. They are also proudly declared opponents of alcohol and are itching to introduce minimum alcohol pricing which is most definitely planned for pubs too.
Mere flesh wounds, obviously. Because CAMRA are today thanking - yes, thanking - Labour's Ed Balls for his 'support' of pubs by promising a few pennies off energy bills and pledging to temporarily not whack up state costs on the industry.
Someone please pass me a bucket.
H/T @KeithWildman
