MP’s Osborne barrel stunt

A BARREL has been sent to Chancellor George Osborne by a Livingston MP in a bid to convince him to support a freeze on beer duty.

Graeme Morrice sent the hand-crafted oak barrel in a stunt designed to raise awareness of the industry’s concerns.

The barrel contained messages urging the Chancellor to scrap the controversial escalator guaranteeing beer tax will go up in this month’s budget.

Beer duty has risen by 42 per cent in the past five years.

Mr Morrice said: “Tax hikes will close more pubs and cost more jobs in West Lothian.”