Drink becomes the refuge of the middle classes

Once again, another news article attempting to raise the price of drink.

According to the BBC, the Scottish Government wishes to set a fixed minimum price set on each unit of alcohol. The price, fairly irrelevant I guess, is 45p.

What each and every broadcaster and politician seems to have failed to mention, is not the impact this will have on 'responsibile' drinkers, but on the working class drinker.

If agreed, the change would see a two-litre bottle of Tesco brand cider go from £1.32 to £3.80, while Asda whisky would rise from £9.20 to £12.60.

The BBC then goes on to examine how

According to the government's figures, there would be no change in the cost of brands like Bell's, Whyte & Mackay or Johnnie Walker, which all currently retail above £14.

 What really worries me here, is that the government makes the assumption that all irresponsible drinking concerns the cheapest of drinks. This legislation will hit those that can only afford the cheapest of drinks. Irrespective of whether or not they are being 'responsible,' though who's to say what that might be.

This leaves middle and upper class drinkers free to drink away, 'responsibily' no doubt, irrespective of how much the government wishes them to drink or not.

Drinker like this chap:

(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48947000/jpg/_48947917_drink.jpg)

Now, according to Tony's autobiography he regularly drank at home - and I'm sure he could afford way and beyond the 45p per unit minimum price.

His circumstances may have been unique, but Dr John Foster, of the University of Greenwich' School of Health & Social Care, says Mr Blair's drinking habit was a "fairly typical" response - particularly among the middle classes - to the pressures of daily life.

"As you go up in social class, issues such as stress and coming down from work are things that were particularly mentioned as a reason," says Dr Foster.

Latest NHS research suggests about 9% of people drink almost every day, with those aged 45 or over the most likely to do so.

So, the middle classes drink a lot. The legislation hits the working class. The working class can no longer afford to drink cheaply - even if they are drinking less than the middle classes.

Government legislation: we're all in it together? I think not.