Pub customers enjoy a pint (Image: Getty)
Britain needs to roll back the nanny state and give its citizens more freedom to manage their own health and finances, an independent think tank has suggested.
The UK has languished behind fellow European countries in terms of “lifestyle freedom” for many years, according to the Institute of Economic Affairs.
It has now published proposals to make Britain the freest country in Europe.
Their Nanny State Index ranks 30 nations on the over-regulation of food, soft drinks, alcohol and nicotine products, from most paternalist to freest. The UK, they say, always finishes in the top half.
Dr Christopher Snowdon, head of Lifestyle Economics at the IEA and author of Defanging the Nanny State, said: “Nanny state policies are intended to deter consenting adults from engaging in certain activities, but they are usually ineffective and have a harmful impact on the economy, consumers and welfare.”
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The IEA is advocating policy changes to move the UK to the bottom of the NSI rankings and “make it the freest country in Europe – without taking the guard rails off”.
Their recommendations are to tax every unit of alcohol at the same rate – 13p per unit. They say this would roughly halve the tax on wine and spirits, cut beer duty by 30%, and increase cider duty by 50$.
It would see a price change of £5.20 on a litre of whisky, 39p on beer and £1.40 on a bottle of wine.
The IEA wants the Government to allow restaurants and bars to stay open for as long as they like, as in most Western European countries. It also wants minimum pricing on alcohol in Scotland and Wales repealed.
It recommends the removal of all restrictions on when and where food can be advertised which they say are economically damaging.
It is also calling for the Government to follow Norway’s lead and repeal the sugar tax, arguing there has been no decline in childhood or adult obesity since its introduction in 2018.
On smoking, it suggests tobacco duty is halved in line with Italy and Cyprus to strike a blow to the growing black-market trade.
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And it says the blanket smoking ban should be ditched in favour of a narrower one which prohibits smoking in all state-owned buildings and which makes no smoking the legal default in privately owned buildings unless the owner permits it.
The IEA also wants to see a repeal of plain packaging arguing few other countries have gone to such “illiberal extremes” and remove warnings on vapes and relax ad restrictions.
“These arbitrary and unnecessary laws are a hangover from EU membership and should be replaced with evidence-based regulation”, it says.
Dr Snowdon added: “I am not proposing anarchy or even laissez-faire with these reforms. I am only suggesting Britain rolls back the nanny state by a few years.
“With the Government wanting to double down on state paternalism, I am probably shouting into a void, but it’s worth remembering a more liberal future is there if we want it.”
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “Lord Darzi’s report laid bare the poor health of our nation, with children sicker and adults falling into ill-health earlier, putting pressure on the NHS and holding back our economy.
“Prevention is always better than a cure, which is why this government is taking targeted action to tackle obesity and smoking.
“By stopping companies targeting junk food at our children and creating the first smoke-free generation we can protect the next generation, cut waiting lists and boost the economy.”