Tories plan huge tax hike on booze :-(

Booner! · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:42

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7282308.stm

The Conservatives say they will raise tax on super-strength beer, cider and alcopops to tackle binge drinking if they win the next general election.

Tax on alcopops would be trebled, but money raised would be used to reduce tax on low-strength beer and cider.

The Tories' want to hit the drinks they believe fuel yobbish behaviour, without penalising "sensible" drinkers.

This isn't the answer... they need to increase the drinking age and make it harder to buy alcohol under the age limit in order to filter down to more mature drinkers.

However, there isn't really a solution for this, because you will get alcholol related violence/dispruption as long as people drink, despite the majority being under 30 years olds causing the issues.

Buy increasing taxes, student's will have less disponsable income... clubs already charge loads to get in and I am already paying about £4.50 for a "alchopop" VK drink in Oxford..

You thoughts please

Tefal · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:43

Well thats every student in the country voting labour, or lib dem or the, no tax for drink party!

they need to increase the drinking age and make it harder to buy alcohol under the age limit

********, it's always the 20 something people starting fights outside clubs.

NO SWEARING - Dangerous

Grrrrr · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:45

In fairness if you look the level in which smoking has fallen during the past 20 years and at how the public image of it has changed from 'cool' to largely 'antisocial' this can be mostly attributed to tax hikes and advertising. I'm not saying i agree with it but it's a pretty valid point.

badbob · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:46

they need to increase the drinking age

No they don't. At 18 you can vote, marry and join the army...why should drinking require more maturity? People have to learn responsibility for themselves.

Grrrrr · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:46

Tefal said:
Well thats every student in the country voting labour, or lib dem or the, no tax for drink party!

Weren't labour considering a similar policy?

monkentage · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:48

In fairness if you look the level in which smoking has fallen during the past 20 years and at how the public image of it has changed from 'cool' to largely 'antisocial' this can be mostly attributed to tax hikes and advertising.

no its down to cancer

Tefal · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:49

Grrrrr said:
Weren't labour considering a similar policy?

then the other suggestions .

magick · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:49

Until you tackle the issues of what makes drink you'll never solve binge drinking. The simple fact is for a lot of people alcohol is the only real escapism they have in life.

GarethDW · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:49

monkentage said:
no its down to cancer

Cigarettes cause cancer? :eek:

badbob · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:51

It's quite amusing to think what would happen if everyone stopped drinking and smoking...have to bleed us from something else, perhaps petrol @ £15 a gallon?

Grrrrr · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:52

monkentage said:
no its down to cancer

Because smoking didn't cause cancer 20 years ago? Or that most people weren't fully aware of the danger of smoking 20 years ago? Hence the advertising half of my point

Tefal · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:52

badbob said:
It's quite amusing to think what would happen if everyone stopped drinking and smoking...have to bleed us from something else, perhaps petrol @ £15 a gallon?

nah they'd just legalize and tax heroin.

Cyanide · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:53

They've got to win the election first

magick · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:53

Tefal said:
nah they'd just legalize and tax heroin.

I think within the next 20-30 years drugs will be legalised.

Tefal · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:55

magick said:
I think within the next 20-30 years drugs will be legalised.

probably, but it will likely take longer if at all for heroin, meth and crack to be get legalized as they have a much worse image than others.

scorza · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:57

Do many OCUKers drink super-strength beer/cider or alcopops? Taxing alcopops is something that should have been done a long time ago when they first came out imo.

Anyhow, if they actually stick to their promises and reduce tax on low strength beer (I'm hoping low strengh = <4% but probably wrong) then I'm all for it

Sonea Fifer · 7 Mar 2008 at 11:57

Increasing the minimum age in which to purchase alcohol isn't really going to resolve anything when the foreign shopkeepers continue to sell to the underage in order to make a profit !

monkentage · 7 Mar 2008 at 12:02

Trippling tax on strong beer would kill the strong ale market. Even now you cant get any proper IPAs due to tax.

Phog · 7 Mar 2008 at 12:03

Well Sainsbury's Basics Vodka is unaffected so Go TORYS!

Tefal · 7 Mar 2008 at 12:03

scorza said:
Do many OCUKers drink super-strength beer/cider or alcopops? Taxing alcopops is something that should have been done a long time ago when they first came out imo.

Anyhow, if they actually stick to their promises and reduce tax on low strength beer (I'm hoping low strengh = <4% but probably wrong) then I'm all for it

so what your saying is put up the price on strong ale, and alcopops, because some people see chavs or any young person drinking them, and then putting the tax down so that you can buy a can of carling for 12p?