Is tax going up on red wine ?

The BBC reports that the Police are backing calls to raise tax on alcohol to curb binge drinking, particularly amongst children under the age of 18.

It is a shame that the rest of us, the non binge drinkers are going to be punished in order to target a specific group. I personally like a bottle or two of red wine at the weekend. Am I to have to pay more in order to prevent binge drinkers ?

I think Steve Webb, Lib Dem spokesman on this issue got in right when he says in the article

"This is a veiled admission of failure from a minister who has failed miserably to tackle the problem of alcohol abuse."

I also support the Lib Dem view that there might be some need to raise duty on some super strength alcoholic drinks, but not all.

A more successful strategy would be for the government to give the police more resources to tackle binge drinking and anti social behaviour. Why not make the drinking of alcohol on any street an offence ? Why not fund the police so they can enforce present laws ? Why not take more action against shops to ensure they have proof of age before selling alcohol to anyone ?

It strikes me that there is lots that could be done, but as ever, Labour resort to their "let's raise taxes" agenda, and does anyone believe that this new taxation would go towards fighting drinking problems ? Of course not, it will go to the treasury to fund the war in Iraq.