Fair Pint's "self-interested guerilla tactics" allowed the Government to wriggle off the hook on beer duty.
That is the fierce attack launched by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) on the anti-pubco group as the war of words between the two ramped up, following the 2% duty hike announced yesterday.
The BBPA, which ran the Axe the Tax campaign calling for a feeze on duty, voiced its anger over Fair Pint's continual assertion that the beer tie and high rents were to blame for pub closures rather than duty rises.
"I think the small number of individuals involved in the Fair Pint campaign need to reflect on how their self-interested guerilla tactics have undermined the interests of the vast silent majority of people in our industry," said BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings.
"The noise they have generated has acted as a welcome distraction for the Government and gifted them an opportunity to wriggle off the hook of responsibility for the burden their tax and regulation policies have placed on our industry.
"Over the last year alone our tax burden increased by an additional £685m. To write this off as inconsequential and insignificant, as they do, is ludicrous and an insult to the intelligence of the hard-working people in our industry."
However, Fair Pint founding member Steve Corbett hit back at the BBPA. "Many of the BBPA's brewery and pubco members have added up to 10p, or 6%, to the price of a pint of beer already this year when inflation is below zero.
"The Axe the Tax Campaign tried to argue that a 1p increase in the budget would cause widespread pub closures. To imagine that ministers, in this or any other Government, wouldn't see through this was naive.
"The BBPA doesn't represent ordinary licensees as it claims. If it did, it would be campaigning to ensure that breweries and pubcos were not increasing rents and the price of beer in this recession. Perhaps we can now focus on these important issues."
Continuing the campaign
The BBPA thanked all its supporters for their effort and vowed to continue lobbying.
"We would like to thank everyone who has put enormous effort, energy and enthusiasm into the Axe the Beer Tax and Save the Great British Pub so far," said Hastings.
"Hundreds of companies, tens of thousands of people - licensees, brewers and consumers and over 200 MPs — including 97 Labour backbenchers support the campaign.
"70% of the British people and 59 per cent of MPs think the Chancellor has got it wrong on beer tax. That is a firm bedrock of support on which to keep building what we always said was a long term campaign.
He added: "The latest phase of the campaign starts now, with a new lobbying message on www.axethebeertax.com for people to send to their MP and build further political pressure for the Finance Bill debate and beyond that in the run up to the General Election next year. I would urge everyone to redouble their efforts and continue the great work that has been started."
Full Budget coverage...
• Trade rocked by 2% duty hike
• Budget is death warrant for pubs
• Pint of beer up 10p at the pub
• Chancellor takes 50 times more from a pint than brewers
• Pub industry must drop 'Mr Nice Guy' image
• SIBA: Gov takes schizophrenic approach to small brewers
• Fair Pint: duty not to blame for pub closures
• 'Darling doesn't give a XXXX for Britain's pubs'.