Nanny State Index: The UK is one of the most nannying states in Europe – but there’s little evidence to suggest sin taxes on sugar and alcohol are helping March 31, 2016 George Osborne’s decision to put a sin tax on fizzy drinks confirmed that there is no escape from the nanny state in Britain, but if the increasingly meddlesome tendencies of our politicians makes you want to emigrate, where should you go? Today’s publication of the first ever Nanny State Index suggests that Luxembourg, Germany or the Czech Republic [...]
Nanny state? Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) says taxes on wine, beer, cigarettes and sugar make Britain among the most meddling countries in the EU March 31, 2016 Excessive regulation and so-called "sin taxes" make Britain among the most meddling countries in the European Union, according to a new report out today from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The free market think tank published its annual "Nanny State Index" league table with the European Policy Information Centre, putting Britain in the number [...]
Write it down and start drinking mocktails: Seven ways to stay off the alcohol and stick to Dry January December 29, 2015 You may still be gearing up for a fairly heavy New Year's Eve, but that doesn't mean you can't start preparing yourself for Dry January. According to website dryjanuary.org.uk, some two million people last year cut down on their alcohol consumption in January 2015 – and even more people are expected to stay off the booze this year. Read more: 10 [...]
Boozy Britain? London is sobering up – and so is the rest of the country June 12, 2015 London is the soberest region in the UK, according to new data, showing drinking habits among adults, released today by the Office for National Statistics. Nearly a third of respondents from the Capital said they did not drink any alcohol – far higher than any other region. Across the UK, 21 per cent [...]
Why don’t Britons identify with Canadians? April 7, 2014 There's some pretty predictable stuff in Ipsos Mori’s new poll on how Britons are becoming less nationalistic, but feel a greater sense of connection on a local and global level. Social media, easy travel and sharing networks (to name but a few) mean that, on the one hand, people feel closer to those immediately around them, but [...]
What does the chancellor’s budget mean for you? December 5, 2013 Catherine Gannon, 51Managing director of law firm GannonThe business is performing extremely well but that is thanks to investments: profits are up but the cost of living has increased, making Catherine feel less well off. She lives with two children, aged 11 and 13, in her own home and holds investment properties. She doesn’t have [...]
Sport Comment: Unions must reject this Anglo-French plot October 20, 2013 HANDS up who really understands what’s going on at the moment in the seemingly never-ending power struggle that has been enveloping European club rugby since William Webb Ellis first picked up the Heineken Cup and drank from it. It’s a battle borne of a lack of leadership within the hierarchy of the sport and a [...]
Minimum booze prices miss benefits: Raising a glass can increase your pay May 14, 2012 THE Scottish government has confirmed that it will set a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit, while a 40p price is planned for England and Wales for later in the year. The basic idea is that consuming beer, wine and spirits is bad, and that basic economics can help deter it. If a [...]
QUAFFER’S CORNER October 3, 2011 HEAD SOMMELIER AND MANAGER OF LUTYENS RESTAURANT ICOOKED a curry on the weekend, which made me think about choosing wine to accompany spicy food. It’s easy to fall back on the old standby of beer, and I often do (Franziskaner Weissbier from Bavaria, usually) but there are some easy guidelines that will help make your [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD March 27, 2011 COMPANY NEWS • Travel company Thomas Cook group is going to announce its second quarter interim management statement on Tuesday. This will be followed by figures being released by TUI Travel on Thursday, where we may see indication of how the Middle East turmoil affected the performance of travel companies. • Housebuilder Bellway will be [...]