Members of CAMRA will have received their regular members’ newspaper What’s Brewing this morning, complete with a number of stories featuring Lib Dem MPs.

* Martin Horwood has tabled an EDM commending local supermarket Waitrose for working with local brewers to stock local beers. The motion urges other national retailers to follow suit, and has the support of over 60 members.

* Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland has tabled an EDM supporting “Proud of Pubs Week” run by the trade paper The Publican

* A large article under the banner headline “11pm curfew for glasses attacked by Lib Dem MP” features Martin Horwood again querying a local policy. All Cheltenham pubs – and many others around the country – are being urged to take glass beer mugs in by midnight and serve only in plastic or polycarbonate pint glasses. Another EDM, opposing blanket glass bans, has also been signed. Martin said, “I can think of many outlets in Cheltenham for which a ban would be appropraite, but I can think of many for which it would not. To have a code of practice trying to enforce a blanket ban after 11pm is far too heavy handed. Why shouldn’t a small country pub or friendly local community pub with no record of problems stock traditional glasses?”

* John Pugh chimes in with “Beer tastes better from a real glass.” The Southport MP continues “I understand that some landlords have to use their discretion and bring in plastic glasses if they feel safety is at risk. But unless there is an issue of public safety, we don’t need to use plastic glasses.”

No cheer for the Conservatives, however, as CAMRA lambasts their flagship new beer tax policy, branding it “naive”. “According to CAMRA, a beer tax increase of 10 per cent will lead to people buying their alcohol at supermarkets where beer is used as a loss leader. The drop in trade will force pubs to close and and communities that use those pubs will lose yet another amenity.” CAMRA’s chief exec Mike Benner continues, “Binge drinking and alcohol misuse should be tackled through targeted education and support for the small minority who abuse alcohol. [The Tory’s] proposal punishes the responsible majority who like to relax with a drink in their local pub.”

And no better news for the Labour government either. CAMRA is currently running a campaign called “Take it to the top” bemoaning yet another broken promise. In the 1997 General Election the Labour Party promised that it would protect consumers from short beer measures. The current law means you may receive a pint only 90% full. The Government is allowing beer consumers to be cheated out of £1.3 million every single day. CAMRA are running a petition to urge the Government to take action.