Local MP Rupa Huq Made Beer Champion

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Awarded for her support of the 'Long Live the Local' campaign

Pulling a pint with her ‘Beer Champion’ tap handle trophy at The Grove pub in Ealing (with staff member Victoria Leigh)

The MP for Ealing Central and Acton, Rupa Huq, has been made a ‘Beer Champion’ in recognition of the work she has done campaigning for beer and pubs.

She has been a supporter of the ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign and helped to secure consecutive freezes in beer duty. She has been presented with the award, a unique tap-handle trophy created especially for the occasion.

The award is an initiative from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) to recognise the role MPs from across the House in supporting Britain’s national drink since the 2017 General Election. They say Dr Huq’s support for successive freezes in beer duty helped secure thousands of jobs and millions of pounds worth of investment in the brewing and pubs sector.

Brewing and pubs are important to the local economy in Ealing Central and Acton, providing hundreds of jobs to local residents. The ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign is again calling for a cut in beer duty in this year’s Budget. So far this year, over 90,000 people have signed the petition, including 142 from the constituency. Dr Huq played an active role in the campaign to save the Goldsmiths Arms in Acton and has worked tirelessly in parliament to secure a freeze on beer duty rates.

She commented, “We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to pubs in Ealing, Acton and Chiswick, each one providing job opportunities and sitting at the heart of our local community. I am honoured to have received this award in recognition of the hard work put in by local residents to save our once-proud pubs from closure and I will continue to campaign to cut the crippling beer duty.”

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the BBPA, said, “This award recognises Rupa Huq MP for her invaluable support for British pubs and Britain’s historic brewing history. I want to thank Rupa for the work she’s done in securing two beer duty freezes in this parliament, and for her support for the brewing and pubs sector since the 2017 election.”

August 20, 2019