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LONDON - Britons are up in arms about the imposition of "sin taxes" that will increase the cost of alcohol, cigarettes, gas-guzzling cars and, potentially, plastic bags.
And the less commonly advertised taxes on adultery, coveting thy neighbour's ass, trespassing on the bowling green and failing to clear away your empty tea cups in Debenhams cafe.
And the less commonly advertised taxes on adultery, coveting thy neighbour's ass, trespassing on the bowling green and failing to clear away your empty tea cups in Debenhams cafe.
Don`t forget the inhaling more than the permitted six times a minute and f*r*ing without a permit...
I am a Brit and I do not know anyone who is 'up in arms' about these taxes! In fact the only thing we are angry about are that putting 14p on a bottle of wine will do nothing to deal with the problem of thuggishness and binge drinking. Alcohol is much cheaper in France and Spain than here, but one never gets these problems. Most people I know would support vastly higher increases in tobacco tax and in tax on spirits and 'alcopops.'
Oh, and just to add, re. the bit about 'gas guzzling cars' - the new tax on those is going to be a 'whopping' (ha ha) £950 a year, about $1800. As my next door neighbour, who has just spent £45,000 ($90,000) on a 4WD as a 'little runaround just for little meee' said - '£950 is about what I spend on my nails. If he made it £9,500, I might get worried.'
I am a Brit and I do not know anyone who is 'up in arms' about these taxes! In fact the only thing we are angry about are that putting 14p on a bottle of wine will do nothing to deal with the problem of thuggishness and binge drinking. Alcohol is much cheaper in France and Spain than here, but one never gets these problems. Most people I know would support vastly higher increases in tobacco tax and in tax on spirits and 'alcopops.'
I agree with you, I haven't heard anyone "up in arms" yet. I suspect most British people don't even know what the budget was and the cost will as usual be absorbed anyway.
I agree with you, I haven't heard anyone "up in arms" yet. I suspect most British people don't even know what the budget was and the cost will as usual be absorbed anyway.
Oh I'm pretty sure people know what the budget is... I think people just expect alcohol and tobacco taxes to rocket up every year now, so it's not really news.
I believe the increase on bottles of wine is intended to deter the reams of 30 something women whose livers are now th size of walnuts because their toddlers are driving them to the vino. Apparently. Except in a recent programme they showed 3 women with high consumption (one with very high consumption) getting tested and they were fine. Some deterrent! Lol Plus the people they're talking about probably have reasonably decent incomes and can afford an extra 14p - if they don't they're probably not buying wine!
Banning happy hours would be a good start, and stopping places from selling beer cheaper than water.
I tend to find a lot of people woefully and blissfully ignorant of political issues every time I strike up a conversation with anyone in pubs or bus stops etc. and most people's ideas of the news seems to be the Daily Mail or the Sun.. but I hope you're right.
Alcohol is such a huge problem in the UK, I don't see any kind of taxes making any difference anyway. I suspect a lot of people would rather get drunk than eat if the dilemma ever presented itself.
Binge drinking and excessive alcohol consumption never ceases to amaze me in the UK. It is such an ingrained cultural trait that I don't know what can be done about it as it has been allowed to penetrate public consciousness for so long .
It really is a societal cancer and I hope for the sake of the UK that some solutions are found to change the psyche of people who feel that the only way to have fun is to get blind drunk, and pee and puke in the streets !
I love Britain but this is the most off-putting, incomprehensible phenomena to foreigners. Even heavy drinking Nations such as the Germans and Norwegians seem completely taken aback by the scale of the problem when they visit.
I don't drink but I could imagine a 3 year old toddler driving me to drink though!
I do agree about all the special drinks promotions and the ridiculous low prices but I think it's much deeper than this. I think people's view of drinks must change.
It would be nice if people could drink because it tastes nice and is a sociable activity. Maybe the shift should be to drinking alcohol with food as in Southern Europe rather than alcohol as a means to get legless.
There is usually a reason that peole begin to drink to that level.But a question;how do people that drink that much keep a job?
It's all done mostly at the week-end, friday and saturday night. Binge drinking is truly the scourge of the UK.
People ingest in a couple of hours what other Europeans do in a week.
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Plus the people they're talking about probably have reasonably decent incomes and can afford an extra 14p - if they don't they're probably not buying wine!
