Sir Keir Starmer has suggested he supports beer duty freezes for the hospitality industry as he has agreed with the Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves comments that under Labour they could support the tax measure.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper Reeves said it is “right” to campaign for duties to be frozen, but she stopped short of committing to the freeze before the upcoming general election due to the “state of the public finances” under the Tories.
The Labour leader told broadcasters, “I think it is important that we support hospitality and the beer duty is part of the package there.
“I am glad and obviously support what Rachel has already said.
“But it is part of the challenge for small businesses, whether it is hospitality, whether it is retail as we have just been talking about.”
Hilary Whitney, co-founder of Sacred Spirits and member of the UK Spirits Alliance, said, “Politicians need to realise that pubs are more than just pints. A third of all alcoholic drinks served in a pub are spirits, yet they are taxed the highest. A whopping 80% of each bottle of gin currently goes to the taxman.
“At this election, it is important that all politicians back our iconic British spirits industry to protect pubs at home and help grow exports abroad.”
