Boris Johnson hints Chancellor Rishi Sunak could slash tax on pints in next week’s Budget

RISHI Sunak could slash tax on pints in next week’s budget, Boris Johnson hinted yesterday.

The PM was urged by MPs to consider giving pubs a boost by slicing their tax and slapping them on supermarket drinks instead.

Brits have flocked to supermarket giants to get their hands on booze throughout the pandemic, but boozers have been closed for several months.

The Treasury undertook a review on alcohol duty last year, and is mulling over the findings.

Changes to alcohol duty could boost pub sales by 100 million pints a year and stop thousands of pubs closing their doors for good this year, the Social Market Foundation said last week.

They urged him to add 14p to a supermarket can and slash 36p off the price of a pint down the pub.

At PMQs yesterday the PM said it was “an extremely good point which I’m sure will be heard with great interest around the country”.

He went on:” There is such a review, being carried out, after consulting owners and brewers and I know that the Chancellor is looking very closely at the findings”.

The Treasury has chosen to freeze alcohol duty for several budgets in a row.

The Chancellor is set to reveal his Budget to the nation next week, and pubs are begging him for more support to help them stay afloat until they can reopen in April, and return for indoor service in May.