I sent Burton off to do some analysis on the Budget, and his overall conclusion was that it was a bag of bits. However, I note that the Budget has come in just as we hear about the Government's plan to bring in minimum alcohol pricing. No co-incidence, I reckon, that he's lifted the lower-rate tax threshold while planning to up the price of cheap booze.
Let's just accept as self-evident. that drinking too much on a regular basis - or far too much as a one-off - is silly and potentially harmful. And let's ignore the likelihood that what little George and his friends come up with is against EU law, and look at whom he's planning to target.
So the proposed minimum price for alcoholic drinks is 40p per unit. If we reckon the average bottle of decent wine is about 9 units, that would be £3.60. Frankly, I don't buy wine for £3.60 a bottle so the good news is that this is unlikely to affect me in any way.
In the same way, Burton bought a half of Imperial Stout in the Euston Tap yesterday afternoon while he was in Town. OK it was 9pc alcohol, but still that's 3 units. It was £4.50. Under the Government's plans the minimum price would be £1.20. So no impact on Burton's way of life.
So if the wine-drinking middle classes and real-ale consuming accountants are unaffected by the Government's plans then who are? That's right. The poor. The people who maybe can't afford my taste in wine, or Burton's in real ale. Not that encouraging people to drink Thatcher's Katy or Tring Brewery's products is not a noble aim - but why are poor people's livers needing more protection than rich people's? I thought we were all in this together.
It'd be enough to make poor people cry into their beer, but they won't be able to afford it. And they won't even be able to have a pasty from Gregg's to cheer themselves up - because there's VAT going on that. I never imagined anyone could invent a regressive alcohol policy, but I reckon the government's done it.
Let's just accept as self-evident. that drinking too much on a regular basis - or far too much as a one-off - is silly and potentially harmful. And let's ignore the likelihood that what little George and his friends come up with is against EU law, and look at whom he's planning to target.
So the proposed minimum price for alcoholic drinks is 40p per unit. If we reckon the average bottle of decent wine is about 9 units, that would be £3.60. Frankly, I don't buy wine for £3.60 a bottle so the good news is that this is unlikely to affect me in any way.
In the same way, Burton bought a half of Imperial Stout in the Euston Tap yesterday afternoon while he was in Town. OK it was 9pc alcohol, but still that's 3 units. It was £4.50. Under the Government's plans the minimum price would be £1.20. So no impact on Burton's way of life.
So if the wine-drinking middle classes and real-ale consuming accountants are unaffected by the Government's plans then who are? That's right. The poor. The people who maybe can't afford my taste in wine, or Burton's in real ale. Not that encouraging people to drink Thatcher's Katy or Tring Brewery's products is not a noble aim - but why are poor people's livers needing more protection than rich people's? I thought we were all in this together.
It'd be enough to make poor people cry into their beer, but they won't be able to afford it. And they won't even be able to have a pasty from Gregg's to cheer themselves up - because there's VAT going on that. I never imagined anyone could invent a regressive alcohol policy, but I reckon the government's done it.
Lidl do some rather nice wines for £3 odd. Snob!
ReplyDeleteSome government wag was saying it's disgusting that some booze is cheaper than a bottle of water. I think it's disgusting that water is so bloody expensive!
Alcohol is the consolation of the Masses, along with fags.
ReplyDelete(and the odd spot of Pot, coke and Kevlar (or whatever it's called).
To punish the masses this way, it totally against their human rights and trade union rights.
I'm told that the Public Service unions are also up in arms against it. It will severely impact on their over night allowances, where they are allowed One Drink. With the rates of allowances being cut, they'll only be able to afford a half, not a pint. A strike ballot has been called on this.