As Mr Eugenides has noted, the campaign to get Darling banned from the nation's pubs is gathering pace.
There is now a Facebook Group and, as Jim points out, a Tory MSP, Alex Johnstone, has even issued a press release.
Johnstone Urges Pub Ban For DarlingFollowing
an Edinburgh landlord's decision to ban the Chancellor of the Exchequer
from his premises after a budget that was punitive for drinkers, North
East Tory MSP Alex Johnstone is urging pubs across the North East to
follow suit and demonstrate their condemnation of the tax hikes on
alcohol.Mr Johnstone said “The Chancellor has raised the duty
on alcohol under the pretext that it is in a bid to combat binge
drinking. But by even the simplest calculations, his tax hike will do
nothing more than raise money for the treasury. For example, if an
individual went out and drank ten pints of cider in an evening, then Mr
Darling's efforts in beating the booze culture will in fact have cost
the drinker just thirty pence more. That’s hardly going to make someone
think twice is it?”“As for the extra fifty nine pence that was
slapped on a bottle of whisky, it has since been revealed that this
might not even raise any extra cash at all. I'm sure this will give
cold comfort to the many people employed in the whisky industry,
especially across the North East, whose jobs were put at risk by this
extra duty.”“No-one underestimates the need for action in
tackling Scotland's booze culture, it is something that needs urgent
attention and a holistic attitute. This budget does nothing to address
this and I'm not alone in being disappointed that the government has
come up with such a simplistic response.”Mr Johnstone concluded
“Barring Mr Darling from licensed premises will send a clear message,
that ordinary, responsible drinkers should not be seen as a soft touch
for raising money to pay for previous fiscal incompetence.”
Not only would it send a clear message, but it would also be absolutely hilarious.
One
wonders, of course, whether Darling would lower himself to going into a
pub—after all, it might be full of horrible members of the disgusting
electorate, and that would never do—but wouldn't you love to be a fly
on the wall as Darling walks into a bar, with a group of his
hangers-on, and is promptly turned away by the manager?
So go on, convince your local landlord or landlady to Ban Alistair Darling. Put the blame for the price hikes in beer prices where it belongs, with the Government, and tell them they are not welcome.
If, of course, you happen to be a publican, feel free to use the
image above, compliments of the Devil. Simply click on it and you will get a
full A4 size poster for you to print off and stick in your window…
as Mr E says,
As someone once said in almost the exact opposite context: let's do some good…
HatTip Devils Kitchen
