UK wine tax: a sobering thought

[tonyhibbett]

When I learned that the Leeds Castle vineyard was ceasing production of wine, I had half a mind to take it over as a 'lifestyle vineyard'. Then I found that duty plus vat on UK produced wine, irrespective of alcohol content, is £2.00 per still bottle and £2.50 for sparkling, but there is a compulsory EU payment to farmers for letting everything rot, due to 'overproduction' in France, Italy, etc., which would threaten prices there. With an average price of £4.50, a producer, after £1 for the retailer, would get £1 per bottle, less cost of production. An unfunny joke.

 

[Mark1964]

Just another kick in the goolies from rip off Britain :evil:

 

[the shadow]

we need out of the eu

 

[Grumpy Jack]

Agreed, it doesn't seem to affect Switzerland and Norway being non-members with loose ties... all the benefits and virtually none of the hassle...

 

[prolix]

I am not growing vines in my garden do I qualify for the EU payment?

 

[graysalchemy]

A lot of people question the benefit of the EU for Britain, but you would find that the rest of europe would not take to kindly to us pulling out and not trade with us or place sanctions against our exports. Now that we are in it would be difficult to back out unless the whole of the EU imploded. But hey look at the other socialist super state of Europe the USSR, that did just that so perhaps their is hope for the UK. :rofl: :rofl:

 

[jonewer]

A lot of people question the benefit of the EU for Britain, but you would find that the rest of europe would not take to kindly to us pulling out and not trade with us or place sanctions against our exports.

Scaremongering europhile nonsense.

Its not that simple to slap sanctions on a country and the fact is that in or out of the EU, the UK forms a major part of the global*, let alone European, economy and any sanctions would have a seriously negative effect on the world economy as a whole.

In any case, at least we wouldnt be paying for the state of virtual sanctions we currently endure. The EU costs us about £1000 net per annum for every man, woman and child in the country, and much of our contributions goes towards subsidising foreign competitors so that they can undercut local UK business.

Farming is a wonderful example of this. Our dairy herds are shrinking because our farmers simply cannot compete with the foreign imports that the UK taxpayer is subsidising.

Recently, Twinings, the tea manufacturer, announced they would be moving to Poland. They are able to do this because they will receive a payment from the EU (aka me and you) to do so. So we are paying for our own national assets to move offshore.

We are in effect in a state of self-inflicated sanctions. We are being forced by our political masters to pay for our own decent into penury.

*Yes, we do still have quite a big economy, as economies go.