Disinformation in the Labour’s Bill Briefing Notes

[Dead Donkey]

These briefing notes are so biased. Here's an example that really got my goat ... "Smoking is still the biggest killer. It claims around 80,000 lives a year, puts huge pressure on our NHS, and costs taxpayers billions. Smoking costs the NHS £3.1 billion pounds a year. The cost of smoking to our economy is even greater, £18.3 billion lost in productivity every year, with smokers a third more likely to be off work sick."
But in reality ... Over the last 12 months (2023–2024 financial year), the UK government collected approximately £8.8 billion in Tobacco Duty, which excludes VAT."
So the government nets £5.7 BILLION profit from cigarette smokers after paying the cost of the NHS, and that does not include the revenue from VAT ! So smoking costs the taxpayer nothing, in fact it is a good little earner! But then most smokers are hard working tax payers, so smoking costs the tax payers billions - very sneaky. And of course the NHS is under pressure, not from smoking but from being underfunded. As for the £18.3 billion lost productivity claim, I want to see the evidence, not from a lying politician but from an accountant.

 

[vapesmarter]

if and when the bill goes through in its current format, I can see only one result

disposable ban

advertising ban on all platforms, plus all the restrictions via the bill

flavour ban

nicotine tax

game over

i cannot see a way any company can survive this

 

[zouzounaki]

As for the £18.3 billion lost productivity claim, I want to see the evidence, not from a lying politician but from an accountant

i don’t think an accountant would have evidence of this. miby somebody in hr.