Britain has the seventh-biggest “nanny state” in Europe and personal freedom is in decline, according to one of the country’s most prominent think tanks. The United Kingdom is one of the worst places to “eat, drink, smoke and vape”, the Institute of Economic Affairs claims.
This country has risen from 11th to seventh place in its “nanny state index”. It is alarmed by the nation’s tobacco and alcohol duty, the tax on sugary drinks and the indoor smoking ban. The IEA states freedom has “decreased at a faster rate than almost anywhere else in Europe over the past two years”.
While Germany, Luxembourg and Italy are the are the “most liberal environments for consumers”, the think tank says Turkey, Lithuania and Finland are the worst for “state paternalism”.
The think tank predicts Britain will climb higher in the rankings as a result of the coming ban on disposable e-cigarettes, a new tax on vapes and restrictions on advertising “less healthy” foods.
A law to phase out smoking by gradually, increasing the age at which people can buy tobacco products, is now going through the House of Lords. Meanwhile, the Government is pressing ahead with measures to restrict schoolchildren’s access to fast food and ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s.
Report author Christopher Snowdon said: “The UK is sinking ever deeper into the quicksand of heavy-handed government paternalism. The idea that adults should be free to choose is fading away and there will be politicians who see the UK’s position on the Nanny State Index as a badge of pride rather than a mark of shame. As in other areas of the economy, high taxes and draconian regulation are impoverishing us all and benefiting nobody.”
The IEA claims so-called “sin taxes” backfire because these “raise the cost of living and hurt the poor”.
But a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The British public wants bold action to tackle the root causes of ill-health, but for too long there has been an unwillingness to lead on issues like smoking, obesity and alcohol harm – we are turning the tide.
“With strong public support for measures like restricting junk food advertising and creating the first smoke-free generation, we are shifting the focus from sickness to prevention to save taxpayers’ money through our ambitious 10-Year Health Plan.”
Last month the IPPR think tank claimed people wanted bold action on health and said voters did not see this as part of a “nanny state”, claiming 65% backed banning junk food advertising in public spaces.
But Reform UK MP Lee Anderson said: “It’s no surprise this Labour Government has made us weaker, more dependent, and more woke than ever before … They dictate what we can eat and what we can drink. It’s time to remove this intrusive government from our personal lives. We’re becoming less British – less independent, less tough – every single day.”