'Big business has tried to fool the public': JD Wetherspoon rolls out 500,000 pro-Brexit beers mats accusing industry leaders of scare stories about food price rises
- The popular pub chain has taken aim at leading business chiefs with the mat
- More than 800 pubs across the UK will be stocking the new mats from today
- Wetherspoon's founder Tim Martin has been a vocal support of Brexit
- Mr Martin has also thrown his support behind Fishing For Leave's campaign
JD Wetherspoon's will today roll out 500,000 beer mats in support of Britain's post-Brexit fishing industry today, accusing leading business and economic experts of misleading the British public about the impact of Brexit.
The beer mats will be rolled out across 893 pubs up and down the country, and states 'big business' has tried to dupe Britons by claiming food prices will rise if a deal between Westminster and Brussels is not struck.
The mat claims the statement is not true and that the EU imposes high tariffs on non-EU food imports, which in turn bumps up the price.
Wetherspoon's owner Tim Martin has been a vocal supporter of Brexit in the past and has now thrown his support behind Fishing For Leave's campaign
The mat claims the statement is not true and that the EU imposes high tariffs on non-EU food imports, which in turn bumps up the price
Wetherspoon's has also urged MPs to eliminate tariffs and reduce food prices by leaving the EU on March 2019 to help the UK save an additional £200 million a week in EU contributions.
Among the top business leaders named-and-shamed on the beer mat include Sainsbury's chairman David Tyler, Whitbreak chairman Richard Baker and CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn.
The beer mat will also highlight its support for Fishing For Leave, which backs Britain reclaiming control of its fishing waters. It states that in March 2019, parliament can reclaim rights to the UK's historic fishing grounds, ending EU policies which have devastated many coastal communities.
Share this article
JD Wetherspoon's owner Tim Martin said: 'Brexit is the single biggest issue for the UK and we believe the beer mats are a great way of getting our message over to our customers.
'The "thundering herd" of the CBI, big business and most economists got it wrong over the exchange rate mechanism, the euro and the effect of a leave vote.
'Their latest red herring is that we need a "deal" to avoid a "cliff edge", which will dramatically put up food prices.
'This is untrue – parliament can eliminate food tariffs and reduce prices by about 3.5 pence per meal if the UK avoids a deal and reverts to World Trade Organisation rules. 'Big business should be ashamed of its unscrupulous attempt to mislead the public.'
The beer mats were put in Wetherspoon's on Monday 4 December
The beer mat pledges support for Fishing For Leave's campaign to leave the EU in March 2019
The beer mat also takes aim at three leading 'big business' leaders who have claimed food prices will rise if we leave the EU without a deal
Alan Hastings, from Fishing for Leave, added: 'Fishing for Leave are delighted to have such a major name and institution in public life as Wetherspoons back the campaign to "take back control" of our nations fishing waters.
'A huge thanks must go to Tim Martin and his team for doing so. Fishing is one of our nation's finest natural resources that was sold out to EU control with such devastating consequences for towns synonymous with fishing.
'Brexit gives us a chance to right that wrong and automatically regain national control of all UK waters and resources under international law on 29th March 2019 to be like Norway, Faroe and Iceland.
'This would see the UK regain the 60 per cent of our fish the EU catches in our waters and see coastal communities rejuvenated by a potential £6.3bn windfall.
'The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has been an environmental and social disaster. The government must scrap the CFP and replacing it with UK policy that works for all fishermen large business or small.
'Most importantly it must end the crazy discards policy of catching and dumping more fish than necessary to match what a quota says you can keep.
'The government must not sell coastal communities short by adopting or continuing the CFP with a transition period - continuing to obey EU laws after Brexit Day in 2019 would be a betrayal of not just fishing but this country as a whole.'
Most watched News videos
- Gideon Falter on Met Police chief: 'I think he needs to resign'
- Trump lawyer Alina Habba goes off over $175m fraud bond
- Shocking moment thug on bike snatches pedestrian's phone
- Shocking moment passengers throw punches in Turkey airplane brawl
- Shocking moment balaclava clad thief snatches phone in London
- Moment fire breaks out 'on Russian warship in Crimea'
- Shocking moment man hurls racist abuse at group of women in Romford
- Mother attempts to pay with savings account card which got declined
- China hit by floods after violent storms battered the country
- Shocking footage shows men brawling with machetes on London road
- Machete wielding thug brazenly cycles outside London DLR station
- Russian soldiers catch 'Ukrainian spy' on motorbike near airbase
