LABOR last night promised new powers to protect drinkers threatened by closure – and hinted beer duty will be frozen.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled a five-point plan to save traditional pubs.
It comes after 80 final orders in the first three months of this year.
Strong new ‘right to buy’ powers will be given to communities to buy pre-loved assets and business rates will be replaced with a fairer system.
Ms Reeves said: “Brits love our locals.
“Let’s support our landlords to keep our pubs running.”
She added: “We want to save the British pub because I know what an important institution they are in so many communities.”
She spoke to customers yesterday and even pulled a pint at The Humble Plumb as she campaigned in the Southampton Itchen constituency, which is 46th on Sir Keir Starmer’s Labor Party’s target list.
She outlined her plans, which include tackling anti-social behavior with more police on the streets.
An additional 350 banking centers will be available in city centers to provide greater access to services and plans for Great British Energy will help reduce bills, she added.
Labor will step in to prevent pubs from being boarded up by giving communities new purchasing rights.
Ms Reeves also gave the strongest hint yet that beer duties could be frozen when, if elected, she unveils her first budget this autumn.
Jeremy Hunt extended the freeze in the spring thanks to The Sun’s Save Our Sups campaign, but it will expire next February.
Ms Reeves said: “The Sun has been right to lead this campaign.”
Yesterday marked the 200th anniversary of the introduction of the Weights and Measures Act, which defined the British pint.
The British Beer and Pub Association tweeted: “Yesterday we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the pint, today Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves is backing our and The Sun’s campaign to #SaveOurSups by promising reforms to unfair business rates and hinting at a beer tax freeze. “
The UK Spirits Alliance, which supports more than 280 distillers and pub landlords, said: “Politicians need to realize that pubs are about more than just pints. A third of all alcoholic drinks served in a café are spirits, yet they are taxed the highest.
“Currently, as much as 80% of every bottle of gin goes to the tax authorities. At this election it is important that all politicians support our iconic British spirits industry to protect pubs at home and help grow exports abroad.”
Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said: “It is vital that the next government recognizes and values the economic importance of the UK wine and spirits sector, and that it is not just about beer.
“The hospitality sector supports more than 60% of the 413,000 jobs in the UK wine and spirits trade.
‘The next government should do more to support the hospitality sector and encourage growth – by replacing business rates, keeping wine duty at a single rate and freezing alcohol duty – which history shows is a win-win win situation for consumers, companies, the catering industry and the Ministry of Finance. “
Graeme Littlejohn, director of strategy at the Scotch Whiskey Association, said: “The pint Rachel Reeves pulls contains 2.3 units of alcohol, more than double that of Scotch whiskey – but the pint is taxed 40% less than the national drink of Scotland.
“Cafes are more than the pumps at the front, they rely on the minds at the back.
“The next government must take a fresh look at the inherent unfairness embedded in the alcohol duty system and support our world-class spirits sector, led by Scotch whisky.
“A good start would be to reverse last August’s hugely damaging 10% tax increase on alcohol, which is causing the Treasury to lose £15 million a month on spirits alone.”