Biomech Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Jim, was that you I heard on the radio earlier trying to push through ANOTHER additional tax on alcohol under the guise of a "Social Responsibility Tax"? Either way, this is ludicrous. It's about time people took PERSONAL responsibility and stopped blaming everyone else and relying on everyone else to take responsibilty for them. This will do NOTHING but penalise those who drink responsibility. What you should be doing is heavily fining those who are drunk and disorderly IN CONJUNCTION with a breathalizer. I think this is very important otherwise it would give the police a free for all for subjective penalisation. Say drunk and disorderly with a breath sample over 60 to enable some degree of objectivity. Again, a Social Responsibility Tax on alcohol is nothing short of fcuking idiotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragwert Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Quite right Bio.Also those who get so pissed they end up in A&E should be made to pay for their treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 I agree, but there needs to be a way to objectify it to differentiate between accidents, victims and those actually causing injury through dangerous behaviour. At one point me and my friends ended up in A&E every weekend (it was quite funny), whilst we had a few too drink, we never instigated anything or were injured from alcohol inflicted injuries - ie, we were always in control of our bodily functions. So lets say, those who are charged with drunk and disorderly anyway, are also given a breathaliser and if it reads over 60 they are also charged the "social responsibility tax" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinton Hitman Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 So Biomech, are you going to the Bloggers Bash @ Jims pub? or will you be outside with the anti social squad, sorry I mean the licencing squad with a breathalyser?, bear in mind that the friendly boys in blue from the squad drink in a pub very close to the fire station, very very close, Oh and by the way, French Connection UK are suing for breach of their trade mark rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Indeed it was our Jim - who clearly doesn't think all of the tax that we pay already is enough... https://twitter.com/Jimofhereford/status/421721879456780288 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kenyon Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Biomech it is difficult to put any point across in a squashed in slot on a radio station the social responsibility Levi or tax would be aimed at supermarket turnover they sell achohol cheap and have done for years too long the city has had to deal with drunk people that pre-loaded before coming out then some folks even bring there own into pub and clubs ,pubs and clubs have strict licensing laws and we not only serve but monitor consumption and ensure safety of our customers, where do young people and children get there alcohol from not pubs. This scheme could raise hundreds of thousands of pounds which could be ring fenced and used to help pay for the consequence's of alcohol ie a@e admissions,extra policing,alcohol and drug awareness schemes to name a few.Ten years ago the on-trade "pub" accounted for 75% of sales and the off trade 25% this has now reversed to over 80% is now being sold by the off trade "supermarkets" and off licences this need to be redressed because at the moment as soon as the alcohol has been scanned at the supermarket they wash there hands of it.Finally I don't expect you to agree with what I have said but I would like to try and explain further at the bloggers bash at my pub on the 1st February please don't pre-load and do leave any drinks at home as I will ensure u have a nice safe evening in the company of responsible drinking folk!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I thought I would give you a the opportunity to expand on here. But that's all bullshit really Jim, sorry but it's true. The reason people go out "pre loaded" with drink from the supermarkets is because of the high cost of drinks in the pubs. The taxes and duties on alcohol in the first place push venue prices up to the extent that people now feel they have to buy in some more affordable drink before they go out. This will do nothing but penalise the wrong people. If my budget is £1.50 a can and you put carling up to £1.70 and carlsberg from £1.30 to £1.50, I'm just going to change my drink. I'm astonished that you sincerly believe that introducing yet ANOTHER tax - on supermarkets is the best way to battle excessive drinking. It doesn't matter at what point the tax is levied, the knock on effect will ultimately push up consumer pricing to cover this loss. I can't honestly believe that you think penalising everyone is a better option than penalising the ones causing the problems. As I mentioned before, why not add a fine to drunk and disorderly charges (in conjunction with an objective means of testing such as a breathaliser)? This is absolutely ludicrous. I don't even go out anymore because of the high prices but now I'm having to pay the price if I want to have a quiet drink with friends at home, a BBQ or a beer with my evening meal. It shows nothing but utter ******* contempt for the public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I'm surprised to see you stand for IOC Jim, while you've now lost my vote, I was expecting to see "Conservative" next to your name. Quelle surprise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Major Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Not one of your best idea's Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kenyon Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 The word tax is never popular 1% Levi on off sales supermarket turnover would have little impact on the consumer as they would put pressure on the brewers like they do with milk and farmers the money raised could be ring fenced for as I said for the consequences of alcohol with our hospital struggling with excesses of smoking,over eating and drinking I'm sure they would find a good use for extra funds,the Goverment were looking at a minimum price strategy where you would end up paying a lot more and the only people benefiting are the supermarkets through price increases and profits to shareholders the pubs and clubs would have to may more as well but as they take a social responsibility the 1% could be reduced these are my thoughts as a responsible brewer and retailer. I'm all ears if people can come up with a better solution,I can't please people all the time and I don't try to, I do speak what I think is right and remember opinions are like assholes everyone's got one and this one is mine!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kenyon Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 We can all have a good discussion on this subject at the bloggers bash on the 1st February Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 So you're taxing their turnover not their profit? Because that will have an even bigger impact. August 2013, the UK supermarket industry was worth £17 billion. I wouldn't call £170 million that has to paid out by the public as "little impact". To think that it won't affect consumer pricing is just pure ignorance. The reason "tax" is never popular is because tax in the UK is just abuse. Tax keeps going up yet services are coming down. You tax us more and more and we get less and less in return. So if you have this additional social responsibility tax money for the NHS and police services then you won't be cutting policing or health funding then? Of course you will. You'll (as a government representative) will take this extra money and STILL short change us on services. Or is this new tax designed to fill the hole from the lack of petrol tax increases that have now been frozen? Because that's what happened last time, you all dropped tax on one thing to make yourselves look good while simultaneously increasing tax in other areas so the net change was 0. As for the rest of your post, 82% of cigarette costs are tax. Smoking costs the NHS around £5bn a year yet brings in an income of £12bn in tax. Smokers MORE than pay for themselves when it comes to the NHS. Without the tax smokers pay out the NHS would have a gaping £7bn hole to fill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 How about a "Personal Responsibility Tax" instead. A tax on people who are unable to look after themselves due to self inflicted reasons? Why is it that everyone feels they need everyone else to look after them and bear the responsibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kenyon Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Biomech the Levi could be collected at a local level and spent locally and would only be against alcohol sales in off-trade supermarkets and pubs so your £1.50 can of lager would cost you £1.52 a relative small increase against the minimum price by volume.i'm interested to hear your thoughts something will be done in the future and I think this is clear,transparent and workable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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