Rishi Sunak heckled for alcohol tax hikes as he pulls pint at London beer festival
RISHI Sunak was heckled for booze tax hikes as he pulled a pint at a beer festival.
Publican Rudi Keyser yelled: “Prime Minister, oh the irony that you’re raising alcohol duty on the day you’re pulling a pint.”
Mr Sunak insisted businesses and consumers would benefit from a post-Brexit alcohol duty changes, despite raises on wine, vodka, and canned beer.
The new system was first set out by Mr Sunak in 2021, when he was Chancellor under Boris Johnson.
The new system aims drinkers to cut back as it taxes all alcohol based on its strength.
The previous system taxed alcohol based on categories of wine, beer, spirits, and ciders.
He described the changes as “the most radical simplification of alcohol duties for over 140 years.”
Another heckler shouted at the PM: “Prime Minister, it’s not Coca Cola.”
Teetotal Mr Sunak is a famous fan of Coke.
The PM also played pub games at the Great British Beer Festival in London.