Rishi Sunak Considering Lower Alcohol Duty For Pubs

RISHI SUNAK considering lower alcohol duty for pubs in the March budgets

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Wednesday, February 24 that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering lowering the rate of duty on alcohol for pubs, to an even lower rate than that which is charged to supermarkets, in a desperate bid to ease the pressure on the suffocating hospitality industry.

Tory MPs have urged the Chancellor to help publicans in his March 3 budget that are being ‘undercut by cheap supermarket booze’ and the Prime Minister himself said that the government is ‘looking very closely’ at their options.

During the Prime Minister’s question time, Tory MP Giles Watling suggested that post-Brexit, the alcohol duty could be reduced.

The Prime Minister answered: ‘He makes an extremely good point which I am sure will be heard with great interest around the country.

‘There is just such a review being carried out after consulting pub owners and brewers and others and I know that the Chancellor is looking very closely at the findings.’

Mr Sunak has been coming under increasing pressure on the run-up to the much-anticipated March budget. The Chancellor has already been asked by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to extend the furlough so as to protect millions of jobs and businesses in line with current national lockdown restrictions. It has also called on the Treasury to extend business rates holiday schemes to support those who are unable to trade. Britain’s furlough scheme – which covers 80% of wages – is currently due to run until the end of April.

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