General election

Labour tops CAMRA election list

30-Apr-2015 - Last updated on 01-May-2015 at 08:47 GMT

Labour has come out as the party having the most pub-friendly prospective MPs in a survey conducted by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Less than one week before polling day, the Labour Party are leading as the most pub and beer friendly, with 292 election candidates pledging to ‘Support well-run community pubs’, ‘Promote Britain's 1,300 breweries’ and ‘Represent pub goers and beer drinkers’.

More than 1,000 prospective MPs, including Conservative leader David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband, responded with support for CAMRA’s calls to stand up for Britain’s pubs, breweries and beer drinkers.

Labour is followed by the Green Party (264), with Liberal Democrats in third place (225), Conservatives in fourth (160), and UKIP bringing up the rear in fifth (118).

Tim Page, CAMRA chief executive said: “Whilst CAMRA remains strictly non-party political, we are pleased that in recent years Parliament has listened to our concerns and made some positive steps towards growing the British beer industry. It is extremely heartening to see over 1,000 prospective MPs now pledging their support for our campaigns should they be elected.

“With 29 pubs closing per week it is clear that much more needs to be done to help this industry not just survive, but thrive. We want to see the next Government grant planning protection to all pubs in England, freeze beer duty for the whole Parliament and support small cider producers. “

In a letter to CAMRA, Conservative Party leader David Cameron committed a future Conservative Government to “extending the length of time communities have to purchase these assets [pubs] and require owners to set a clear ‘reserve’ price for the community to aim for when bidding. We will also set up a Pub Loan Fund to enable community groups to obtain small loans.

“Conservatives believe strongly that pubs are at the heart of communities, supporting local jobs and boosting the local economy. They play a crucial role in the social and economic life of our nation,” Cameron added.

Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband also supported the pub sector. In a letter he said: "In Government, we will ensure that the new Pubs Code has teeth and give communities the power to protect their local pubs and other cherished establishments from being bought up and turned into supermarkets - a fate that has affected two pubs a week in recent years - by allowing local authorities to determine development rules and changes to the permitted 'uses' of buildings locally."

The Liberal Democrats have expressed similar support for planning protection for pubs in their manifesto while the UKIP manifesto, said it would offer tax breaks to smaller brewers and support duty cider and perry producers.

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has gone on record as saying “I'm supporting CAMRA's manifesto for pubs and real ale, as is the whole Green Party”.

Party breakdown