MP rolls out the barrel for beer duty campaign

Mr Healey joined fellow MPs and representatives of the British Beer & Pub Association, the Campaign for Real Ale and the Society of Independent Brewers to urge a freeze on beer duty.

The Chancellor is planning another increase in the tax on beer in his Budget later this month, despite the fact that beer duty has risen by 42 per cent since 2008.

Mr Healey, a former Treasury and pubs minister, wrote on a postcard to the Chancellor: “I sent you the first 2013 Budget submission on Budget Day 2012. My message now on the eve of your Budget is the same.

“Beer is a great British industry and tradition; the temporary beer duty escalator was set to end last year and is now doing great

damage to our pubs and brewers.

“Every year you extend the escalator makes it harder for the industry to recover.

“British beer lovers, like me, are also losing out from higher prices and company failures.

“As Chancellor, you should now be especially worried by the beer tax take going down this year, despite the big hike in beer tax rates in your last Budget.

“Change direction, axe the escalator, and for once do something that people will welcome in your Budget on March 20.”

Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, which organised the event, added: “Beer tax hikes are not raising more revenues for the Government, and with a duty freeze we can create many more local jobs.”

The barrel — a nine-gallon barrel known as a firkin — was made from finest oak by Theakston’s cooper, Jonathan Manby.

Jonathan is the last apprenticed craft cooper in England and has been cooper at Theakston’s for 19 years, after an apprenticeship lasting four years.