From: smithmp3@hotmail.com (Shano)
Newsgroups: uk.legal uk.politics.misc uk.finance
Subject: Re: Why I am voting for Europe.
Date: 10 Jun 2004 03:55:14 -0700

"half_pint"  wrote in message news:<2ipv3iFq3nbcU1@uni-berlin.de>...
> "Stephen Glynn"  wrote in message
> news:2ipl1iFploiiU1@uni-berlin.de...
> > K wrote:
> >
> > > On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 18:14:31 +0100, half_pint wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >>The European government forced the British government
> > >>(bastards) to all allow British citizens to buy cigarettes and booze
> > >>at reasonable prices.
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > > That's funny, last time I checked fags were nearly a fiver a pack and
>  beer
> > > was well over £2 a pint.
> > >
> > > K
> >
> > Where were you when you checked on cigarette and beer prices?   It's a
> > lot more than I pay for cigs at my local corner shop or beer in a pub.
> >
> > Half_pint's analysis of the activities of "the European government"
> > (whatever that is) is a trifle skewed since i) the EU has no power to
> > make any member government lower its taxes on things and ii) being in
> > the EU doesn't seem to have brought booze or cigarette prices down in
> > (for example) Scandinavia.
> 
> If the people in scandanavia (not all in the EU anyway) (sweden?)
> want it cheap they can buy on the black market (as I do).
> 
> Why should someone spend as much on a packet of cigarettes as
> a weeks food? - So the middle classes can avoid paying any taxes -
> thats why.
> 


You can buy a week's food for under a fiver? Where do you shop, Lidl?

Besides, I avoid my taxes by not buying cigarettes at all. Or petrol,
for that matter.


> 
> Obviously I am talking about the so called 'common market' where there
> is *meant* to be fair competition free from tarrifs and customs duty.
> 
> The UK tried to flout this.
> Ok to bring in cheap labour for the fat cats to get filthy rich on
> but not OK for the working man to pay a fair price for his beer and
> fags.
> 

You *are* Health Secretary John Reid and I claim my five pounds......

Shano