Sun shines for beer tax cut

The paper has swung behind pubs and bars by adopting the beer duty issue for one of its renowned campaigns. An opinion piece on Wednesday (27 February) said: “A beer tax rise must be halted so Brits can still afford a pint, the Sun today demands. We want Chancellor George Osborne to freeze it in next month’s Budget.”

The Sun claims a third of the price of a pint now goes on tax, and has produced around 300,000 beer mats to distribute to pubs and drinkers advertising its backing for a tax cut. It has also directed readers to the Mash Beer Tax website—launched by the Taxpayers Alliance, which has also got on board on the issue—to petition for action on beer duty.

The Sun’s support is well timed ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget announcement, and could prove a powerful voice in the debate. But some its other campaigning tactics—like sending some of its Page 3 girls to the Chancellor’s local pub in Westminster—might not be to everyone’s tastes.