Darling drops spirits duty but bashes beer

Beryl: very important that you get in touch with Steve.

Rob Hayward talks a good talk now but if BBPA had been the representative the pub industry really needs we would have better informed government ministers and duty increases would not be hitting pubs the way they have been. And there is no excuse for BBPA not being the champion we need - they are well funded and have access to all the information needed to be able to debunk any misgivings and misunderstandings minsters have about the pub trade. BBPA has singularly failed to adequately inform and prepare government about the essential realities facing the pub trade because they do not represent the pub trade, they represent pubcos and pubcos' agendas are very different from ours... their agenda is not based on public interest it's based purely on self interest and maximum return for minimum outlay

Darling drops spirits duty but bashes beer

Graeme while I'm sure many, many people appreciate your sentiments in barring your MP from the but it would be a very good thing if you could go to meet MR Rooney or his assistants at a surgery and just explain what is happening to pubs.

Ask him to sign Early Day Motion 1328 http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35569&SESSION=891 and to listen to what the pubcos and BII have to say about the support they give lessees on 9 December at the BESC inquiry.

That reminds me... BII and pubcos appearing together? What's that all about Mr John MacNamara?

What are the bet they'll all have a big blanket across their knees to keep out the winter chill. I'll bet for certain the puBIIco blanket won't be plaid.

edited by: Mark Dodds at: 27/11/2008 09:29:02