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What jumps out to me is that one of Scotland's big exporters, the Scottish Whisky Association, is strongly against (though 9 EU countries are too, including France and Spain). As must as demand in Scotland, I think they're worried about other countries responding by making whisky more expensive. The SWA were big pushers for TTIP, hence the SNP getting carried away with it until they spotted political in changing tack.The governments of Scotland and Ireland still hope to impose a minimum price for alcohol despite a European Court of Justice warning that it would be illegal if other policies such as higher taxes could be used to protect public health instead.
The ECJ suggested in a ruling on Wednesday that tax rises could reduce alcohol use while maintaining fair market competition, but ministers in Edinburgh and Dublin insisted a minimum price was the best way to address problem drinking.
The judgment set considerable obstacles in the way of the flagship Scottish health policy of imposing a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol.
It would raise the price of a bottle of Jack Daniels to £28 in Scotland. Are the SNP really going to want English retailers round Berwick and Carlisle selling it for much less? Sainsburys seem to be charging £15 at the moment. I reckon a lad with a railcard can make a few easy quid going to Carlisle, let alone somebody with a van.
The SNP spinners are trying to make out that it's actually a good result, and that they'll win when they go back to the Court and say "Westminster won't let us raise duty in the normal way". The Court though know this already. It's a big principle for the EU to concede, and I think they'd be entitled to say sort it out with the UK government if you want to raise the cost of duty.
If Scotland actually did increase the tax, it would be a first for the SNP. Every sign so far is that Scots don't like tax any more than us UKIPpy English.
