Labour hammers the boozers with increased duty on wine and spirits.

 

Although the increases in the NMW and N.I. for businesses, doesn’t come into effect until April, the price of food and drink in many pubs is already spiralling as pubs pass on higher future business costs to consumers imposed on them by Labour's Chancellor, Rachel 'Freeze' Reeves. As from today (Saturday 1 February), excise duty on wine and whisky will also increase by 3.6% under Starmer's Labour government.

Alcohol duty in Britain, is already among the highest in Europe. Over 70% of the cost of every bottle of gin and whisky goes to the Exchequer while a bottle of beer makes just 2 pence profit due to costs and taxes.

In the Wetherspoon's pub which I go in, the cost of a pint of cask beer went up by 15 pence two days ago. This is likely to drive many more of Tim Martin's Wetherspoon's customers into the supermarkets, to buy cheaper bottled beer.

Rachel Reeves might well be smiling but many British voters aren't. The increased costs on businesses, are going to be paid for by the consumer who will now be paying more for goods and services including food. Labour, say they want to grow the British economy but they don't seem to have a clue how to do it. Nor does Labour like taxing the wealthy or stopping tax avoidance measures for the rich. Reeves recently announced a U-turn on tax changes for 'non-doms' amid a backlash from angry multi-millionaires.

It's highly likely that these measures introduced in Rachel Reeves last budget, we see more pubs close, higher inflation, and will lead to more automation and job losses as businesses seek to cut their labour costs. The cost of living in Britain is going through the roof and wages aren't keeping up.

Prices rocket at Wetherspoon's.

 

As a pensioner I've already been clobbered by Starmer's Labour government when they ended the winter fuel allowance.

The increase in the National Minimum Wage and National Insurance doesn't come into effect until April. But last night, I was in Wetherspoon's and the price of a pint of Abbot Ale had gone up by 11pence from £2.88 to £2.99 and a pint of cask beer by 15 pence from £2.63 to £2.78.

I had already been told by a Wetherspoon's manager that Rachel Reeves budget was likely to put 15 pence on a pint of beer. Reeves's budget is going to lead to massive price hikes in the shops, supermarkets, job losses, and more automation.