Sunday, 4 March 2012

Talk is cheap

"The era of big, bossy, state interference, top-down lever pulling is coming to an end."

—David Cameron, Prime Minister, 2008


"For too long, laws have taken away you freedom, interfered with your life and made it difficult for businesses to get on ... This Government is going to transform our politics so the state has far less control over you ... We’ll get rid of the unnecessary laws – and once they’re gone, they won’t come back."

—Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, 2010


"In the past government has had a tendency to shout at the public from the sidelines rather than being down on the pitch with them."

— Anne Milton, Public Health Minister, 2010


"All our decisions must be evidence-based, and on that basis, we do not currently support an introduction of minimum pricing."

—Andrew Lansley, Health Minister, 2010


Fast forward to March 2012...

CHEAP booze is finally facing the axe as David Cameron launches a twin blitz on drinks and fags.

The PM is ready to press ahead with plans to introduce minimum pricing in an attempt to stamp out binge drinking.

Meanwhile Mr Lansley will spearhead a TV ad offensive warning smokers not to light up near children.

The campaign will be followed by a ban on tobacco displays in supermarkets starting on April 6. Smaller shops will be forced to end their displays in April 2015.

Mr Lansley will also press ahead with plans to force cigarette firms to sell every brand in plain grey packets with a big health warning to make them less attractive to kids [erm, aren't we supposed to have a public consultation on that first? -  CJS].

Whoever you vote for, the Department of Health's fake charities always win.

David Cameron: "Cheap drinks for me, but not for thee."
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4 comments:

  1. Simon Cooke4 March 2012 at 22:09

    ...as I said earlier on Twitter - I very nearly walked out in a huff. We are moving into a new age of prohibition and can only hope that, in time, the wheel will turn again.

    I worry at the people who will be blinded - even die - because Cameron wanted to throw some red meat to the health lobby ahead of the final thrust on his health bill.

    As sure as I know anything, the decision to introduce minimum prices for alcohol will kill people.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JJ5 March 2012 at 00:18

    Did anybody really expect this spineless and vacuous politician to do anything different?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5 March 2012 at 03:42

    The real question is who is pulling not only his strings but every politicians strings. Hint:

    Think U.N.

    You destroy the U.N. you slay the dragon..........

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5 March 2012 at 08:24

    From Dave Atherton

    Mark Wallace tweeted this yesterday and I would suggest his info is spot on.

    "Mark Wallace ‏ @wallaceme

    Seems increasingly likely that Steve Hilton was effectively driven out by civil service opposition to any radical ideas, partic on the EU."

    I was at an event being spoken to by Nigel Farage recently. After suggesting that Van Rompuy looked like "a low grade bank clerk" and "had the charisma of a damp rag" Nigel had a visit from a Sir Humphrey type from the Foreign Office. Sir Humphrey was at pains to ask Nigel not to be so beastly to the EU chappies.

    We do live in a post democratic age, n'est pas? It is government running government.

    ReplyDelete

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