Taxpayers subsidise politicians' booze

While ordinary pub-goers have to pay excessive amounts of tax in pubs - for our own good of course - it’s always our round when our politicians hit the ale.

According to a press release issued in July 2008 by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), the House of Commons Refreshment Department received a subsidy of £5.5 million of taxpayers’ money in the 2007/8 financial year, equivalent to total annual tax receipts from 35 pubs. This subsidy, not published in the House of Commons’ Annual Accounts, was 15% higher than 2006/7.

The subsidy makes up 43% of the Department's income, so taxpayers cough up £4-30 for every £10 spent refreshing our politicians, even before they claim back their outgoings without receipts through their notorious expenses system, which they devised themselves. There are at least 12 bars in the Parliamentary estate, plus various dining rooms, brasseries and banqueting suites. As MPs write their own laws as well as ours, they operate without a licence and have no restrictions on hours.Thanks to us, MPs can enjoy much cheaper drinks than we can ourselves. A pint of Foster’s costs them £2.10, compared with a national average of £2.80 (33% higher) and a London average of around £3.00 (43% higher). A House of Commons 8-year-old Scotch costs £1.35, while our politicians can enjoy a Pimm’s on the Thames-side terrace for just £1.65.

How can we ever take their health messages about alcohol seriously again? They must laughing all the way to the bar. One way to protest is to go to http://www.axethebeertax.com/ and show your support for fairer alcohol taxation.

Full ALMR press release at: http://www.almr.org.uk/presspdfs/69.pdf

Recession? What recession?

Our two local papers have been urging us all to shop (and drink) locally and help Southport's economy through the recession. One of them has gone even further in saying that Southport is almost recession-proof. This is quite an odd view, considering the number of boarded-up shops around the town centre, and the sharp increase in the local jobless figures.

As for pubs, I have never in my life seen so many with 'for sale' or 'to let' signs as I have over the last couple of years. The Shakespeare, which only recently reopened as a 'bard rock pub' [sic] with Harleys in the windows, is currently sporting a 'for sale' sign, although the pub is still open. Although not really beer outlets, Café Matisse and Owens bar on Hoghton Street are just two of a number of cafés and bars that have closed recently. I have also noticed that pubs that were heaving at weekends a year or so ago, are often much quieter now. It's even possible to get a table quite late on a Saturday evening in the Guest House ~ previously unheard of. Pubs and bars are clearly struggling. What's to blame? The government's tax escalator, predatory and incompetent pub companies, cheap supermarket alcohol, and the effects of the recession, including job insecurity and losses, must be among the main reasons.

What's to be done? Just shop (and drink) local, according to the Pollyannas in our local press. While I have no problem with this message, and in fact do most of my drinking and shopping locally, I'm disappointed that our papers just leave it at that. Where is their campaign against predatory PubCos, or the call for a freeze (or even cut) in beer tax? Or even against the fact that we taxpayers subsidise politicians' booze? Their faith in consumer expenditure as the tool to beat the recession locally is hopelessly misplaced, especially when disposable incomes are under serious pressure. Unfortunately their 'shop local' campaign itself doesn't really bear close scrutiny: one of the papers is printed in Oldham and the other in Knowsley. So much for supporting local businesses.