'Sneaky extra for Sauvignon': Next PM urged to ditch Sunak's wine tax after Brexit

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Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to scrap Rishi Sunak's "sneaky" post-Brexit wine tax if he wins the keys to Downing Street this week.

British wine drinkers will have to pay a little-known "Sauvignon surcharge" from February next year, as part of changes following the UK's exit from the European Union.

As the Prime Minister uses the election campaign to repeatedly accuse Labor of secretly planning tax rises if it comes to power, experts and industry leaders have called today to abolish its tax on alcohol.

They warn it would result in products disappearing from shelves, increase the price of some red wines by more than 40p a bottle and increase the number of tax bands for wine from one to 30. p>

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Now, in a letter to the country's next leader, seen by The Independent, they say the next government "must act" to avoid "increases in unnecessary costs and unnecessary red tape.” Experts warn some wines will become more expensive – and some could disappear from shelves altogether (Getty/iStock) /figure>

The call is backed by former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who told The Independent that the new tax "is complex and could lead to misunderstandings".

John Colley, the boss of Majestic Wine, which has more than 200 stores across the country, told The Independent that the changes “will raise prices and threaten quality and the choice of wines that UK consumers can currently enjoy.”

He said the change “makes no sense”, adding: “Everyone loses here – small businesses, consumers and the Treasury – and this policy must be stopped before it's not too late. »

Labour MP Neil Coyle said: “If he fixes Sunak's mess on this issue and generates more for the Treasury by making the change, then I hope any new government will seriously reconsider emergency Sunak's sneaky Sauvignon surcharge, which has hit conservatives all over wine drinkers. »

When Mr Sunak announced the changes to the 2021 spending review...