Richard Holden, Member of Parliament for North West Durham, has met with Treasury Minister Kemi Badenock and written to pub owners across North West Durham as he continues his campaign to see a reduction in duty for Draught Beer and Cider.
As a result of the coronavirus restrictions introduced, pubs and clubs across the country were forced to closed and many of them are now struggling to survive, raising fears that pubs across the United Kingdom will not be able to reopen once restrictions are lifted. Richard is campaigning for a specific Draught Beer Duty and has written to the Chancellor, pointing out the incredibly important social and economic contributions that pubs make to communities across the country.
Over 80 Conservative MPs have now backed Richard’s campaign, including ex-Cabinet Ministers Sir Iain Duncan-Smith, Ester McVey and Karen Bradley. Richard’s North East colleagues Dehenna Davison, Member of Parliament for Bishop Auckland, and Paul Howell, Member of Parliament for Sedgefield, have also thrown their weight behind Richard’s campaign. You can read more about this here.
Richard has now met with Kemi Badenoch MP, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, and Treasury officials, alongside fellow campaigners Mike Wood MP (Dudley South) and Giles Watling MP (Clacton) to discuss Draught Beer Duty. Richard discussed how his campaign would help both customers and pub landlords, and that the additional knock-on benefits would hugely help UK supply chains and employment.
Commenting, Richard Holden, Member of Parliament for North West Durham, said:
“Lockdown has hit the hospitality sector harder than any other. I am seriously concerned about pubs and clubs of North West Durham and it would be a disaster for the local economy and for the wider community to see large numbers of these businesses close.
“It was clear that the Treasury understands the potential benefits of my campaign and is receptive to my ideas but is naturally cautious in its approach. I want to thank the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury for meeting with me to discuss this incredibly important and urgent campaign.
“My campaign to see draught beer duty introduced has been backed by nearly 100 of my Conservative colleagues, which demonstrates that this is an issue that affects constituencies across the country. I am going to continue to fight for our hospitality industry and to campaign on this and will be working with both Treasury and local pubs on this so that they’re in the best place to thrive as we emerge from the global coronavirus pandemic.”
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