Osborne beer tax fears

Paul Nuttall: "Pubs are at the hub of our culture and communities and they are being driven into oblivion"

Local MEP Paul Nuttall has accused George Osborne of hammering the final nail into the ailing pub trade.

It has just been revealed that the Chancellor will lose £100million this year because beer taxes are too high and has revised his predictions made just nine months ago of the amount of money beer would bring in.

And as well as this year's loss his forecast for next year is £200million down on the Budget because fewer drinkers can afford a pint.

The Treasury had claimed that a beer tax of two per cent plus inflation would bring in an extra £35million.

"It's no wonder the country is in a mess when the Chancellor can't even get his sums right for just one aspect of our day to day lives," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP Deputy Leader.

"Pubs are at the centre of communities but they have been decimated by a number of factors and the picture is increasingly bleak.

"Beer duty needs to be cut to encourage drinkers back into pubs and it would also help the micro brewery industry in this country. It is obvious that beer taxes are too high and this is driving drinkers away," said Mr Nuttall, who masterminds UKIP's 'Save the Pub' campaign.

Beer drinkers pay 42 per cent more in tax since the beer duty escalator was introduced in 2008 and a billion fewer pints now being drunk.