Supermarkets are "creating alcoholics", claims ex-Tory leader
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has accused supermarkets of "creating alcoholics" with their "immoral" attitude to alcohol.
In a further sign the Tories want to get tough with the off-trade, Duncan Smith told The Times: "The behaviour of the supermarkets on alcohol is as close to being immoral as you can get ... there's no question that they're encouraging young people to drink and they're creating alcoholics."
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling last week confirmed the Conservatives are proposing to ban the below-cost selling of alcohol.
But Duncan Smith, who is chairman of independent policy group the Centre for Social Justice, also made comments which will concern the pub trade.
He backed Conservative plans to the reverse the Licensing Act, claiming the law change has been "driven by the drinks industry, determined to sell more alcohol."
And Duncan Smith, who is now a Tory backbencher, appeared to go further than current Conservative plans, suggesting tax on all alcohol should be raised to stop alcohol "damaging the fabric of a nation".
He said the current government was scared of addressing the issue of the price of alcohol.
"We are an alcohol-obsessed country, more than almost anyone else in the world, but in Westminster they are terrified of doing anything about it," he said.
"They are scared stiff of upsetting the electorate. I would hope Cameron is brave enough to confront that. Alcohol is every bit as dangerous as illegal drugs. You can argue that it's more dangerous than heroin because it's easier to get."
