Alan Reid, Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll & Bute, criticised the Chancellor for putting the duty on Scotch whisky up by 38p a bottle in today’s Budget.
 
Mr Reid said, “This duty increase is very unfair to whisky producers because the duty on whisky is already far higher per unit of alcohol than that on beer or wine. This increase is pointless. It will not bring in extra revenue for the Government because the Treasury’s own figures show that after the Chancellor’s previous big increase in duty, the revenue to the Treasury from duty on spirits actually dropped because of falling sales.
 
“The increase is also pointless in health and social terms because binge drinkers’ favourite drink is not Scotch whisky, but other drinks which attract less duty.
 
“The Chancellor also announced that, if Labour win the election, they will increase the duty on whisky above the level of inflation every year in the next Parliament. A Labour victory would be grim news for communities like Islay where distilleries are a significant source of employment.”