PM David Cameron faces a revolt over the pubco-tenant relationship
According to the newspaper the PM and Lib Dem deputy Nick Clegg fear rebel MPs will back Labour demands for a crackdown on pub companies over their relationships with tenants.
On Wednesday Labour shadow pubs minister Toby Perkins will demand the Government imposes a new code of conduct on pub companies. Labour will conduct an opposition debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday demanding a statutory code of practice.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror , Perkins called on Business Secretary Vince Cable to keep his promise to stand up to the pub giants and act to stop the soaring number of pub closures.
Perkins said: “It’s high time the Government finally stands up to the big pubcos. That’s why Labour have called this important debate.”
However, according to a report in The Mail on Sunday the British Beer and Pub Association said plans by Labour to introduce a legally binding code of practice for the pub industry would bring in “unnecessary and costly bureaucracy”.
A BBPA spokesman said: “These figures counter the claim that tenanted and leased pubs are closing at a faster rate than independent or free trade pubs. We will be making this argument strongly with MPs in the run-up to Wednesday’s Opposition Day debate.”
