Our biggest drug problem is an ocean of cheap alcohol

Two weeks ago, the Tories' social justice policy group proposed an extra 7p tax on a pint of beer, 20p on a bottle of wine and 70p on spirits. Last week, the new Scottish justice minister attacked Scotland's "bevvy culture" and its associated "carnage and crime". By the weekend, the government's chief medical officer was talking about increasing tax on alcohol and restricting booze companies' sponsorship of sport. Sunday saw a rash of stories about an imminent government attack on knockdown prices at supermarkets. The next day, Brown announced a review of 24-hour drinking. At this rate, a revived temperance movement will soon be taking to the streets.

Last evening my wife and I opened a bottle of wine. In order to have the money to pay the £8 .95 for the wine we had to earn £15 gross. We then had to pay the duty and the VAT. So, out of that £15 Gordon got a total of £9 - 75 in taxes/NI/duty. Now, because some fucking pissheads in Newcastle or Glasgow are causing mayhem on Friday nights in their city centres we have to pay another 20p for our little indulgence. Note that the proposals aren't aimed at increasing the price of CHEAP booze, the alleged culprit, but ALL booze.

Of course the ultimate stupidity of all this is that our masters are so out of touch with reality that they truly believe adding another 70 pence to the cost of an evening's piss-up is going to curb drunkeness.  It's enough to drive you to drink.