Musings of a Libertarian

Smoking kills. Didn't know that one. Many thanks to Starmer for reminding us that smoking claims the lives of 80,000 Britons a year. All attacks on our liberties are presented in this manner, some problem or threat that justifies further State involvement in our lives. A couple of weeks ago it was the far right and the removal of free speech online, this week it is lung cancer and the banning of that cheeky Marlboro outside spoons on a Friday night. Leaving aside the ethics for now, the economic impact of the proposed ban will be disastrous. Thirty pubs a week close in the UK. We have lost 15,000 pubs since the turn of the millennium, despite adding 10 million to the population. While some of this is down to changing demographics which have led to lower per capita alcohol consumption, the main driver has been taxation and regulation. Now Labour want to hit the pubs again. Many already drink at home as a result of the exorbitant prices resulting from astronomical beer taxes (the aut...