Alcohol industry once again setting govt policy as duty frozen on Scotch whisky & cider, beer cut 1p. Goes against all evidence.
— Alcohol Concern (@AlcoholConcern) March 19, 2014
Public health 101 - when stung, trot out the standard 'evil industry' ad hom. A line faithfully taken up by this AlCon employee.
Lynton Crosby all over the budget as once again @George_Osborne & @David_Cameron give into alcohol industry on duty
— Emily Robinson (@EmilyRobinson1) March 19, 2014
Then comes the incredulity.
.@George_Osborne accepts tobacco price imp but not on alcohol. Errr why not? Booze costs UK £21bn. We're all in it together paying for it.
— Emily Robinson (@EmilyRobinson1) March 19, 2014
"But ... but ... they're not following the tobacco template! We're next! They told us we were next!"
A concern echoed by one of the team who produced Sheffield's Uni's policy-led minimum alcohol pricing junk.
"No good health reason" for stopping the tobacco duty escalator but alcohol duty escalator scrapped. Hmmm...
— John Holmes (@JHolmesSheff) March 19, 2014
Then there was the truly bizarre.
Well what a shock! Osborne's claim to be concerned about alcohol consumption all crap. Cheap booze/easy cheers/more deaths/NHScrisis
— Alastair Campbell (@campbellclaret) March 19, 2014
Yes, that's the Alastair Campbell and yes, he really did say that. Sometimes put-downs are so easy you don't even have to elaborate.
You’re tweeting about someone causing ‘more deaths’ @campbellclaret fuck me but you’ve got some brass balls on you.
— Lord Skip Licker VC (@Skip_Licker) March 19, 2014
Lastly, there is the plain dull and disappointed.
Public health let down again: Alcohol duties frozen/cut across the board #Budget2014
— IAS (@InstAlcStud) March 19, 2014
'Public health' have been let down? Marvellous! It's something the country should be heartily thankful for, and should be treated to far more often, so I'll drink to that.
Cheers!
