Rishi Sunak criticized at beer festival for 'pulling out pints for PR'

The Prime Minister was seen pouring a pint of Black Dub Stout at his constituency's Wensleydale Brewery in Richmond, Yorkshire, at the Great British Beer Festival in London. Credit: Daniel Leal/PA

Mr Sunak called the overhaul «the most radical easing of duties on alcohol in over 140 years» made possible by Britain's exit from the European Union.

But the distillery's whiskey called the change «a hammer blow» and brewers warned of higher taxes on bottles and cans.

Mr Sunak was pouring a pint of Black Dub stout at the counter of his constituency Wensleydale Brewery in Richmond, Yorkshire, when he 46-year-old Keyser, the owner of a chain of pubs in London's Wimbledon, interrupted.

Mr. Keyser, a former brewer, told the Press Association that Mr. Sunak's claim that drinking people and businesses would benefit was just «smoke and mirrors.»

«Peter robs to pay Paul «, — he said. , insisting that consumers will see price increases as a result of the change.

«And he has the audacity to come in and have a PR pint,» added Mr. Keyser.

Mr. Sunak was in a good mood when he played bar at the festival. Credit: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

Another man yelled at the teetotaling premier, a known Coke drinker, «Prime Minister, this is not Coke.»

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is on the March budget also announced that the ban on alcohol duty will cease to apply on August 1 and will increase by 10.1% adjusted for inflation.

The increase would result in a 44 pence tax increase per bottle of wine. Combined with the VAT, this would mean consumers would pay an additional 53p, according to the Wine and Spirits Association.

The duty on 18% sherry with cream will rise from £2.98 to £3.85 sterling including VAT. adding up to an increase of over £1 per bottle. A bottle of port will rise in price by more than £1.50.

The total tax on a bottle of gin or vodka will rise by about 90p.

Jeremy Hunt's alcohol tax increase

The Chancellor reduces duty on pints across the UK at 11p in August to support pubs and draft beer drinkers, which Mr Sunak described as beneficial to «thousands of businesses across the country».

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) ) said brewers will pay a 10.1% tax increase on beer bottles and cans from Tuesday, about 30% of the cost of a 500ml bottle.

Despite the moratorium, the BBPA said that an increase in the tax on packaged beer would result in an additional £225 million in annual costs to the industry.