Responding to threats by ministers to increase regulation on the alcohol industry, Progressive Vision, the classical liberal think tank has said that the government needs to treat citizens like adults and stop nannying them.

Mark Littlewood, communications director of Progressive Vision, said;

“What adults choose to drink is their concern, not the state’s.  The government should not be meddling further in this industry.

“If you drink so much that you contract alcohol related illness, you should not expect the expense to be borne by the public purse. Adults should be entitled to drink whatever they want, whenever they want. But if they over-indulge, they should face the full costs of doing so.

“These moves to regulate alcohol are due to the failures of the NHS. It is unacceptable for the drinks industry to be penalised because of the government’s inability to operate a sensible health policy.”