Justin Tomlinson MP visiting Swindon pub The Red Lion
Justin Tomlinson MP today spoke out when a protest by a Labour MP saw the beer ‘Top Totty’ banned from the House of Commons bar.
Labour’s equalities spokeswoman Kate Green called for the beer to be banned on the basis that it was offensive and demeaned women.
Speaking out on Twitter at the news, Mr Tomlinson tweeted: “Have to say I had a pint of ‘Top Totty’ before stupidlypoliticallycorrect Labour got it banned from Commons bar – highly recommended!”
Ms Green commented: “I was disturbed last night to learn that the guest beer in the Strangers’ Bar is called Top Totty, and that there is a picture of a nearly naked woman on the tap.”
Justin Tomlinson MP said “The banning of the beer is plainly ridiculous, political correctness at its very worst. Things are bad when we can’t even call a beer Top Totty without a backlash of equalities complaints. It is plainly that it is not named with the intention of being offensive, where is their sense of humour?”
Slater’s Ales, the family-run brewery in Staffordshire that makes Top Totty, said that furore over the name has seen orders for it double.
Vicki Slater said: “I just couldn’t believe that in this economic climate, a Labour MP would get excited about the name of a beer.
“But after all this fuss, it sold out. People have phoned from all over Britain asking us to supply their pubs – we’re delivering twice as much Top Totty as we ever have before.”
