The front-page headline in today’s Times can clearly be seen as the start of a new Labour campaign to force state sponsored restrictions onto the populace once again. “Crack down on middle class wine drinkers” is laid out in black and white for all to see. With smokers out of the way, it’s now the turn of the lover of grapes. Whilst tackling under age drinking and the educating the 18-24 age groups as to the dangers of over consumption is admirable, the threat to increase taxes on alcohol is not. Whilst I don’t smoke, I am partial to a glass of wine and I am susceptible to hand pulled ales, something that this country leads the world in the production of. However, I don’t go on violent sprees under the influence of a South African Pinotage or even a pint of the aptly named Mordue Brewery “Workie Ticket”. Why then, will I be targeted for political controls and increased revenue measures? Whilst there are no doubt many Labour MP’s who consider their tenure as an opportunity to conduct a moral crusade against the more hedonistic of the populace, I don’t think they are in the majority. I do however, feel that the element who want to dictate a state managed way of life are, and it is from this group that this constant erosion of civil liberties and freedom emerges. CCTV, Identity Cards, smoking bans; the list is endless and by no means complete. When ministers are quoted as saying they want drunkenness in public to be seen as socially unacceptable in ten years time as smoking is today, you know that more severe controls are around the corner. What next, no drinking in public, prohibition?
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