http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/36332

This thread sits very well alongside The Gerry Sutcliffe article on MA (http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/80074) where he forcefully states his believe that this 'Industry must fight with one voice'. Mr Sutcliffe is consistent and has said this publicly before.

Sutcliffe has spotted it, Inez has spotted it, we all know it really and this is precisely the problem: this Industry is NOT, in a month of Sundays, going to be talking with one voice. There are so many competing vested interests at every level it's impossible to see how 'one voice' can be raised that will serve all the constituents according to their various needs. 'Herding cats' as David Morgan puts it.

So what is to be done? It is lessees and licensees DUTY, tied, free of tie, whatever shade of involvement in the trade, to convince politicians that their voice is equally as valid (if not more so because publicans really are on the front line), as the voice of the Giga businesses they deal with in their day to day lives. There is NO balance to the arguments and views the government hears about the pub trade. It ALL comes from the PubCos. And, in fact, pretty much ALL of that directly from just two of them with the rest being ably represented by BBPA. The All Party Parliamentary Beer Group gets ALL its information about what's going on in pubs across the country from the PubCos and the BBPA. The APPBG has a membership of hundreds of MPs who don't know what is going on in pubs in their own constituency, on their doorstep, so to speak, because they are being told that pubs are closing for all reasons other than the one that is the Elephant in the Room that no one talks about: PubCo rents and beer prices.

SO tell your MP what you think. Tell them how you feel. Tell them why you think you are having a hard time in business. LET THEM KNOW. It's your duty and it's easy. Fair Pint has a downloadable template on its site www.fairpint.org.uk

OR if you don't want to do it the Fair Pint way, go to http://www.writetothem.com and follow the really easy online instructions. TELL YOUR MP what is happening! Make sure APPBG hears the truth from the people WHO REALLY COUNT - THEIR CONSTITUENTS: YOU!

This IS NOT about sabre rattling. It's about right against might. Almost five hundred have signed up to Fair Pint already and it has been going only since early May. That's not bad going is it?

If you read this forum and don't post. If you feel you have been handed a bad deal. Sign up to Fair Pint now.

And watch the Politics Show on BBC1 this Sunday midday.