Good news for your local Pub landlord as the Government suffered a loss in the Commons as around 40 pubs close every week.
Tory chief whip Michael Gove humiliated as 39 MPs vote against.
15 Tories and 24 Lib Dem MPs defied their own party whips to support a move to in tie the big breweries’ control over local pub landlords.
It’s the first time MP’s have lost on a Commons Bill, and is very embarrassing for Tory Michael Gove, who’s been Chief Whip for just 4 months.
MPs have voted 284 – 269 in favour of an amendment by the Liberal Democrats Greg Mulholland to loosen restrictions on “tied pubs”, which are forced to buy stock from the companies which own them and to give in to their rent demands.
The MP’s broke into cheers and Tories Gove faced taunts of “resign” when the vote was announced.
The amendment will give landlords the option to shop around for beer and to negotiate their rents until now they have had to pay what ever was requested.
Currently there are 40 pubs closing every week in the UK, supporters say the moves will ease financial pressures on many pub landlords.
MPs had offered to look at the rent rules in 2 years time but this was rejected by many MPs.
Mr Mulholland, chairman of Save The Pub campaign, said the proposals would mean “business as usual” for many publicans.
Mr Mulholland said the plans would “simply bring back market forces into a sector that has become very anti-competitive”.
Mr Gareth Epps, a Lib Dem activist and one of the leaders of the campaign, said: “This is an great win. We had a budget of £1,500. Not in my wildest dreams did I think it was possible to win this vote against the government. Never doubt that a very small group of concerned citizens can change the world.