KINGSWOOD MP BRINGS LOCAL WARMLEY BEER TO WESTMINSTER

Local MP Chris Skidmore arranged for Warmley brewed Bath Ales to be served behind the bars at the House of Commons bars, in tribute to the local brewery and ale.

Chris even got behind the bar to pull a pint of SPA, one of his favourite ales. Also on tap was the new festive beer, Ginger Hare.

Chris said: "I thought it would be a great way to kick off British Pub Week by getting Kingswood's own beer behind the bar in Westminster. I'm proud that we have such a great brewery and beer in Kingswood, and as the local MP I'm very keen to do all I can promote home-grown local produce."

Mark Harding, sales director at Bath Ales, said: "We are delighted to have our beers on sale in the House of Commons. It is a great honour to have Westminster politicians sampling our products."

A picture of Chris Skidmore MP pulling a pint at the Commons Bar is attached.

This morning the Lancet published an article from Bristol's Professor David Nutt that alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack and at lunchtime Chris Skidmore's aide posts a picture of him pulling pints at the House of Commons. What timing! This follows our MP's plea for smoking to be reinstated in public houses. What next will our representative on the Parliamentary Health Select Committee come up with?

Sadly most people who "drink their life away" start with having one or two pints of real ale after a day's work and in the pressurised atmosphere of Parliament people are more likely to travel that road. It is widely recognised that alcohol leads to substantial health and public order consequences although most people are able to enjoy social drinking without harm. I declare my interest as a non-drinker who often meets friends in public houses for meals over a glass of lemonade and orange juice.

You say Chris is "passionate" about saving public houses which provide a well-controlled and supervised environment for the consumption of alcohol and together with community centres and churches represent a valuable social resource. I believe the problem of alcohol abuse is being considered by the Government and I hope this will lead to a ban on the sale of alcohol below cost price which poses a substantial threat to public houses and a change in law to deal with exploitation of pub landlords by wealthy breweries who insist only their overpriced beer may be sold. These two changes would do much to stop the closure of public houses.