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Minister attacks alcohol tax rise Minister attacks alcohol tax rise
(41 minutes later)
Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe has called for Budget increases in tax on alcohol aimed at tackling binge drinking to be scrapped. Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe has suggested the government was wrong to increase alcohol taxes in the Budget.
Mr Sutcliffe told a newspaper he backed the pub trades' call for a rethink. He told a newspaper pubs were "right to be upset" - but he later distanced himself from the remarks saying he actually supported the price rises.
The Conservatives said the minister's "amazing" comments showed the government was "unravelling". The Tories said his comments showed the government was "unravelling".
Chancellor Alistair Darling put 4p on beer, 3p on cider, 14p on wine, 55p on spirits and said the duty would go up by 2% above inflation for four years.Chancellor Alistair Darling put 4p on beer, 3p on cider, 14p on wine, 55p on spirits and said the duty would go up by 2% above inflation for four years.
Pub trade associations have said the changes will spell doom for many licensees - and warned of pub closures.Pub trade associations have said the changes will spell doom for many licensees - and warned of pub closures.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) accused the government of punishing all beer drinkers rather than tackling the minority of binge drinkers.The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) accused the government of punishing all beer drinkers rather than tackling the minority of binge drinkers.
'Next opportunity''Next opportunity'
In an interview with pub trade newspaper The Morning Advertiser, Mr Sutcliffe urged pubs to be more effective in their lobbying of government.In an interview with pub trade newspaper The Morning Advertiser, Mr Sutcliffe urged pubs to be more effective in their lobbying of government.
The government is frankly unravelling when even its own ministers don't support the tax rises that their government introduced in the last Budget Justine GreeningConservative MPThe government is frankly unravelling when even its own ministers don't support the tax rises that their government introduced in the last Budget Justine GreeningConservative MP
He said: "I think the industry's right to be upset. We, and I speak as a champion of the pub trade, want the chancellor to change his mind.He said: "I think the industry's right to be upset. We, and I speak as a champion of the pub trade, want the chancellor to change his mind.
"The next opportunity will be the pre-Budget report in November. But the industry has seriously got to get its act together in working out what its priorities are.""The next opportunity will be the pre-Budget report in November. But the industry has seriously got to get its act together in working out what its priorities are."
But Conservative MP Justine Greening, who speaks for the party on licensing, told BBC Radio 4's The World at One said she was amazed by the minister's comments. But in a bid to defuse the situation, Mr Sutcliffe - who did not dispute what he was reported to have said - issued a statement saying that: "My comments do not accurately reflect my views."
"The government is frankly unravelling when even its own ministers don't support the tax rises that their government introduced in the last Budget." He added: "I fully support the tax measures in the Budget, and the chancellor's decisions on tax.
"Alcohol duty increases will go towards helping some of the poorest members of our society."
No U-turnNo U-turn
Conservative MP Justine Greening, who speaks for the party on licensing, told BBC Radio 4's The World at One said she was amazed by the minister's comments in the newspaper.
"The government is frankly unravelling when even its own ministers don't support the tax rises that their government introduced in the last Budget."
She added: "What we need to be doing is tackling binge drinking, in fact, before the Budget we'd announced some very targeted measures to do just that.She added: "What we need to be doing is tackling binge drinking, in fact, before the Budget we'd announced some very targeted measures to do just that.
"Instead, this tax rise on alcohol is going to hit millions of responsible drinkers and won't do anything to tackle binge drinking.""Instead, this tax rise on alcohol is going to hit millions of responsible drinkers and won't do anything to tackle binge drinking."
She said Mr Sutcliffe was "right to say the chancellor should perform another U-turn on this Budget but it's amazing that Labour's own ministers are criticising their own Budget within two to three weeks of it being announced".She said Mr Sutcliffe was "right to say the chancellor should perform another U-turn on this Budget but it's amazing that Labour's own ministers are criticising their own Budget within two to three weeks of it being announced".
Treasury minister Jane Kennedy defended Mr Sutcliffe - but made it clear that there would be no U-turn on alcohol taxes.Treasury minister Jane Kennedy defended Mr Sutcliffe - but made it clear that there would be no U-turn on alcohol taxes.
She told BBC Radio 4's the World at One: "We are part of a government in which there is lively discussion about these issues."She told BBC Radio 4's the World at One: "We are part of a government in which there is lively discussion about these issues."
She added that the government was pushing ahead with the changes announced in the Budget.She added that the government was pushing ahead with the changes announced in the Budget.