Responding to Nick Clegg’s announcement today that the Liberal Democrats will support a minimum price on the sale of alcohol, Progressive Vision – the classical liberal think tank – has called the proposals “nannying, patronising and regressive”

Shane Frith, director of Progressive Vision, said:

“Individuals need to be responsible for the quantities of alcohol they consume, not retailers. Slapping a minimum price on alcohol sales undermines this personal responsibility.

“It is nannying, patronising and regressive. Those on low incomes will feel the pinch more than anyone else. Members of Parliament might not need to count the pennies when buying alcohol from supermarkets, but those on less enormous salaries have fewer options. Neither do most people have the luxury of heavily subsidised Parliamentary catering facilities.

“If Nick Clegg wants to stop supermarkets providing low-price alcohol, will he also clamp down on events at LibDem conferences providing free alcohol as an inducement for LibDem activists to attend? If he is so concerned about cheap booze causing binge-drinking, free booze must be even more of a worry.”