David Miliband announces plan to 'save British pubs'
Labour leadership hopeful David Miliband has launched a campaign to help save pubs - including plans to tackle the beer tie.
In an unexpected move, Miliband has put forward a three-point plan to help stem closures and said if he was Labour leader he would "stand up" for pubs.
The Labour MP's stance will greatly encourage those seeking reform of the tie.
A statement on his website says: "One of the biggest problems facing pubs is the 'tie' - forcing some pub landlords to buy their beer and other services solely from the pub companies ('pubcos') they rent from.
"This means many of them pay over the odds, which reduces their profitability and increases the price for drinkers."
He says licensees should be allowed to opt-out of the tie. "Tackling this anti-competitive practice would help ensure a fair price for drinkers and help community pubs stay open."
He calls for a statutory code of practice, to strengthen the British Beer & Pub Association's code of practice.
The code would also "ensure transparency about the discount 'pubcos' receive from brewers and the proportion they pass on to tenants", the statement says.
Miliband also calls for a dedicated pubs minister to be re-instated to champion community pubs.
He says the coalition has made "co-ordinated action more difficult" by dividing responsibility for pubs between three departments.
The third part of his plan involves strengthening planning laws to give greater protection to community pubs. He argues that pubcos should have to have a public consultation on a pub they want to sell for change of use or demolish.
Miliband said: "As we enter the holiday season its important we stand up for British tourism and the importance of pubs to our tourist industry.
"For too long we have tolerated this decline as the result of inevitable market forces. But we can and should stand up for the local pub - and the community links and civic life they sustain.
"Local pubs are great British institutions - and as Labour leader I would stand up for them."
David Miliband announces bold plans to save Britain's pubs - from Miliband's website.
