Rishi Sunak’s launch of the new ‘Brexit benefit’ alcohol duty was anything but happy hour – 17 top reactions
The government’s shake-up of alcohol taxing went live on Tuesday, with the key factor being alcohol content rather than type. Rishi Sunak shared a thread of the key points of the new strategy.
Tweeters added some important clarifications.
As is so often the case, the changes could have been made without Brexit.
The new duties are intended to encourage lower alcohol consumption by units, but some manufacturers and retailers believe the price rises in their products will affect sales and threaten their viability in the market. Experts have also warned that the price changes could raise inflation.
Rishi Sunak is fanning the flames of inflation with the biggest rise in alcohol duty pic.twitter.com/bZV0RyBELM
— Louis 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 〓〓 💙 Defend the right to vote (@LouisHenwood) August 1, 2023
The teetotal PM launched the changes with a really awkward photo op at a beer festival, where he was loudly criticised by someone at the sharp end of the price changes.
🚨🍺 | NEW: Rishi Sunak was HECKLED at the Great British Beer Festival as he poured a pint
“Prime minister, oh the irony that you’re raising alcohol duty on the day that you’re pulling a pint” pic.twitter.com/ACpUSrtZvN
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) August 1, 2023
"Sunak heckled while pulling pint"
Every time he's in public (not a staged stunt) he is booed. When a minister appears in front of an audience, they're booed or laughed at. The right wing media can do or say what they like.
The game is truly up ✅https://t.co/FvYqFZm8nw— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) August 1, 2023
To celebrate my changes to the duty on alcohol, one brewery has named a beer after me! pic.twitter.com/smJnAb1S2i
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) August 1, 2023
These tweets sum up the prevailing reaction.
1.
Hey there, people…
Nothing to see here
Just a Twitter correction to yet more bullshit from our PM. pic.twitter.com/EFbcwFfpf9
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) August 1, 2023
2.
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) August 1, 2023
3.
“I want to protect the price of your pint at the pub but if your kid has asthma and you’re not rich… well… let’s just say you might need to really go hard on the drinking.” https://t.co/iPxe8TAhOf
— Mic Wright (@brokenbottleboy) August 1, 2023
4.
Are these pronouncements from the Prime Minister or a David Brent impersonator ? https://t.co/UwOtCgbPd4
— lucy siegle (@lucysiegle) August 1, 2023
5.
You’ve literally put alcohol prices 🆙
🍷 Bottle of wine is 🆙 by around 50p
🍹 Bottle of spirits is 🆙 by around £1
🍺 Pint in the UK now has 11 time more tax than in Germany…
🍾 Thankfully no need for champagne – because we couldn’t afford it anyway.#ToriesBrokeBritain
— Robbie Scowls (@RScowler) August 1, 2023
6.
I’d prefer if our water wasn’t flooded with raw sewage personally
— Sarah O'Connell (@SarahO_Connell) August 1, 2023
7.
Get pissed! Run people over! https://t.co/V7FWbMvTk5
— John Harris (@johnharris1969) August 1, 2023
8.
The Tories are lying again.
UK alcohol taxes are many multiples of the EU minimums. Ours are some of the highest in Europe.
Sunak could have cut them much further than he did even inside the EU.
(Oh, and wine just got loads more expensive. Bet he didn't mention that.) https://t.co/DWmS7uQ7LI
— Edwin Hayward (@edwinhayward) August 1, 2023
9.
What about bringing down the price of… idk.. basic essentials? Vegetables? Bread? https://t.co/rONuOX0jEB
— stefan • (@stefanbertin) August 1, 2023
