Chancellor Aiming At The Wrong Target With A Proposed Increase In...................

[10ClarionSt]

..............the price of tobacco. If he wants to raise more money, there are two obvious targets - drinkers and motorists. Motorists have been bearing the brunt of the Tories mis-management of the economy anyway, but raising the price of cigarettes won't raise half as much as an increase the cost of alcohol. 

The effects of alcohol already costs the economy 10 times more than the effects of tobacco; domestic violence; death on the roads; town centre violence; absenteeism, not to mention the burden on the NHS to treat alcohol related illnesses. Virtually every adult in this country is a drinker to some extent, but of course none of them are responsible for any of the above. Oh no no no. Not me mate. It's the rest of'em! I'm the only one in step! 😊

[10ClarionSt]

I meant to add this link, but there are lots of other available links on this.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/cigarettes-could-soon-cost-16-28723840

[douglas9401]

Already a minimum unit price here in Scotland and, as you'd expect from a policy foisted upon us by small-minded town councillors it does nothing but annoy the majority.

Maybe the big parliament is slightly less reactionary.

[lankeela]

But drinking and driving support far more industries than smoking does.  What would we lose if tobacco sales fell?  Perhaps a couple of manufacturers but if many of the pubs/restaurants/supermarkets and garages/motor accessories were to go out of business this would affect many more people.  

[douglas9401]

If he wants to raise, or at least keep, more money he should get together with his mates and figure out how to stop the parasitic infestation costing the country millions per day and leaving us open to an inoperable cancer somewhere down the line.

Stop the boats now.

[andy-hughes]

I suspect that the rise in tobacco tax is the ongoing determination to eradicate a habit that has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Personally, and it is purely a personal view, I feel the same about alcohol.

A society that encourages the alternation of conciousness is not doing its citizens any favours.

But because it is woven into the fabric of society with an unassailable level of respectability, eradicating it will take several more generations.

I believe alcohol will eventuially follow the way of tobacco, from being massively accepted and indulged, to gradually reduced to a minority, and then expunged entirely.

[barry1010]

Increasing the duty on fuel increases the cost on everything we buy, it affects everyone including those who don't own a vehicle and even the housebound

[barry1010]

Lankeela, you may be interested to know that no cigarettes have been made in the UK for at least 8 years 

[webbo3]

Just found this barry.

Who makes cigarettes in the UK?

Some of the most popular cigarette brands in the UK are manufactured by Imperial Brands, including John Player Special, Davidoff, West and Winston amongst others. Imperial Brands saw its global revenues increase over time to reach more than 32 billion British pounds in 2022.18 Oct 2023

[Auntypoll]

Maybe they should concentrate on prising Income Tax out of the mega- rich and doing away with 'Tax Schemes' for starters? 

[lankeela]

Thanks Barry, so nobody going to lose their jobs if they ban the disgusting things totally, but might as well make some money out of the morons who insist on buying them while they can.  A young single mother neighbour stands on her doorstep smoking as her landlord does not allow it, yet her young son goes to school in trainers that are flapping open at the toe.  

[nicebloke1]

It just goes to show this knob head of a chancellor does not have any more idea than past chancellors of this shoddy crime ridden government, and there's been a few come and gone. Roll on the GE.

[10ClarionSt]

Thanks for the replies folks. Alcohol is a big health and social problem. The same applies to tobacco. I don't agree with targetting motorists but some people make it an environmental issue to justify the financial squeeze on them. There's no doubt in my mind that squeezing money out of motorists is the alternative to taxing a reducing number of smokers.

I also agree with AH. The cost of the effects of alcohol to this country already are too great. It should be taxed a great deal more, in line with tobacco, and costs to the motorist should be reduced.  

Honourable members, I rest my case, and I commend it to The House!

[nicebloke1]

With respect you need to do some homework. Trash food is costing this country more in taxes now than any tobacco smoking. The cost of obesity is now costing 7/8 billion a year and rising. This chancellor had he any brains at all would have taxed high sugar and salty fat products.

[ToraToraTora]

I agree with 10cs, far from a net gain smoking costs billions more than it brings in. Motoring is far too cheap, they could rake in a lot more than they are from that.

[fraser]

illegal immigrants being housed in hotels cost more,send them all back to france, common sense but then common sense in politics is frowned on.

[newmodarmy]

I see the post at 14:52 hasn't been removed yet. It says more about the poster than about Hunt

[newmodarmy]

Do away with 'tax shemes'  aunt polly g- guess you mean tax avoidance schemes. Would that include ISAs and pension tax relief. Loads of chancellors have tried to close loopholes for the rich but clever accountants will always find a new legal way.

 

[barry1010]

Webb, you are quite correct, Imperial is a huge UK tobacco company as is BAT, both headquarted in the UK but no cigarettes have been made here since Imperial ceased production of Lambert and Butler in Nottingham in 2016.  They are now made in Poland and Germany

[fender62]

Andy, no booze no baccy erm charming, smokers are already treated like lepers, as for booze mmm that will never stop, imagone pubs with people all having soft drinks, it would be empty bar coke heads lol.

[ToraToraTora]

I think Andy is probably thinking of Clockwork Orange style "Milk" bars.