A PETITION containing more than 1,600 signatures voicing opposition to a hike in beer tax in this week’s Budget has been presented to Parliament by a Plymouth MP.

Linda Gilroy, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton, is among campaigners pressing Chancellor Alistair Darling to scrap a planned rise in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the ailing pub industry.

A poll has shown 59 per cent of all MPs, including 41 per cent of Labour backbenchers, oppose the increase, which will see tax on beer increase by two per cent above the rate of inflation.

As part of the ‘Axe the Beer Tax’ campaign, Mrs Gilroy visited the Maritime Inn on the Barbican to meet Carl Beeson, the owner of the Billacombe-based Summerskills Brewery.

For the full story go to: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Plymouth-MP-presents-beer-tax-petition/article-918589-detail/article.html