The drinks industry last night hit out at a Tory policy group proposal for a significant tax increase on alcohol, arguing that it would damage British companies without achieving its aim oftackling binge drinking.
A report from the Tories' social justice policy group will tomorrow recommend a sharp increase in alcohol prices to reduce consumption. It will highlight the case for a "treatment tax", equivalent to at least 7p on the cost of a pint of beer, to double the £400m a year spent by the state on recovery programmes.
