Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt breaks promises for a minimum price for alcohol and plain packaging on cigarette packs

Cameron checks whether Jeremy Hunt has got his sums right. He has!..

SOURCE GUARDIAN: Big tobacco has got its way – now let's find what big alcohol is up to
The coalition has dropped plans for plain packaging amid murky circumstances. Public health measures such as this and minimum alcohol pricing deserve better than death by lobbyist.

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How lobbying (probably) works: The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

Tax havens boost their lobbying efforts in the UK and Brussels

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Tax on beer and cigarettes

KJ, Chris and Fee get all confused...

SOURCE TELEGRAPH: Bitter taste for drinkers as beer is watered down to save money
John Smith’s Extra Smooth will be reduced from 3.8% alcohol to 3.6% - and the price per pint is set to rise. The change is not just because of the rising costs of production, and reduced beer sales in Austerity Britain, but in response to high tax rates. The government’s attempt to tackle problem drinking includes a lower rate of duty on beers with lower alcohol content. The change should save Dutch brewers Heineken, who own the brand, £6.6m in duty per year. A third of every pint now goes to the tax man.

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The UK is a global leader in tax dodging services. Is Cameron serious about closing it down?

The US fines and jails the Big 4 accountancy firms for helping tax evasion. The UK doesn't. Why?

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Comparing the regulation of the banking and tobacco industries

There's one crucial difference...

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