Ginger Rodent beer to go on sale in Commons bar after selling out its first run

Tuesday 12 March 2013

A beer named Ginger Rodent for the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has sold out its first run - but will be available in a Commons bar in June, Danny Alexander said today.

The red-haired Liberal Democrat minister, who was given the moniker by deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman in 2010, launched the Cairngorm Brewery beer last year. The micro brewery produces the ale in Mr Alexander's Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch constituency.

Mr Alexander highlighted the success of the firm in answer to Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland at Treasury Questions, who urged the Government to scrap the beer duty escalator at next week's Budget. Lib Dem Mr Mulholland said: "I can give you good news - we now have 1,000 breweries in this country because of the explosion in micro breweries due to fairer, lower beer duty. "Now the Government is going to tackle over-charging by the pub companies which is quite right, which will allow more access to the market for these wonderful breweries. "Can we also have some joined-up thinking with the abolition in the Budget of the beer duty escalator, which simply doesn't make sense?" Mr Alexander replied to cheers: "I certainly share your admiration for small micro breweries. One in my constituency produced a beer called Ginger Rodent, which has sold out of its first run. I look forward to more sales when that particular beer is in the House of Commons bar in June. "As for the rest of your question, I take it as a Budget representation." Mr Mulholland last week joined with other Government MPs to lobby the Treasury to scrap the beer duty escalator, which automatically increases tax on beer in each budget, in a Westminster Hall debate last week. Treasury minister Sajid Javid pledged to listen to the concerns ahead of the Budget on March 20. Ms Harman dubbed Mr Alexander a "ginger rodent" at the Scottish Labour conference in 2010. She later apologised.

Contextual targeting label:

Local government

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Ginger Rodent beer to go on sale in Commons bar after selling out its first run

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED