Hmmmm, the government wants to keep a lid on inflation yet they increase the duty on Wine and Petrol - it seems like one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing

James, Bristol, UK

This government's answer to everything is raise taxes on petrol, cigarettes and alcohol. Brown and Darling are a joke just look at the Northern Rock fiasco. How can they impose above inflation rises when most people received below inflation pay increases? They know the cost of everyhing but the value of nothing. Labour has no chance at the next general election.

Stefan, Slough, UK

costs keep going up and up ;O(

kt, London,

For 3 quid I can buy very good wines in France or Spain and probably other countries. This government greed disguised as an act for the good of the people is scandalous. The British already have to pay more for their petrol, tobacco and alcohol then most other EU countries to fill the government coffers. This hits the lower income consumers hardest and is a disgrace from a government that is socialist in name. Rather than educate people about drinking they choose to deceive people to fund their mistakes. Brown & Darling you are both cowardly, treacherous and pathetic.

Frank, Manchester,

hello from Germany, where we pay less for a bottle of wine but actually have progressive and meaningful income tax.
Take your pick.

Gabs F, Berlin, Germany

I imagine that most Times readers aren’t too concerned at the disappearance of a bottle of wine for £2.99, and Mr. Edwards makes the point well. However, if duty is raised to £1.71 a bottle, then half the cost of a bottle selling for £4.89 will be Vat and duty.

Is this really acceptable when there is no, or next to no duty in France, Germany, Spain and Italy?

A point worth making is that UK wine merchants and retailers have to include duty as part of the cost of the product they are selling, with the exception of fine wine merchants selling wine ‘in bond’. A 38p duty increase really means a 51p hike, assuming a 25% margin, plus Vat: 60p. Worse still, a restaurant with a 66% margin on wine will have to increase their price on wine, including Vat, by £1.78 a bottle. And that excludes any currency movements.

An increase of this scale will be disastrous for hundreds of independent wine merchants and restaurants. As for how wine lovers stock up, this could be a tipping point.

Gavin Quinney, Bordeaux, France

Regardless of how one might feel about the potential bump in wine prices caused by the Budget, and even in the face of the admittedly occasional bottle of drinkable wine at sub four quid prices, Jane MacQuitty if not the punters at Asada and Tesco should get over this obsession with such low priced wines in the UK.

Really, it's shameful. A 2.99 bottle of wine has so little already going towards the liquid inside, even less of which is destined to support the people who grow the grapes or make the wine, that if you can't "splash out" on a bottle that costs just a couple of pounds more, then don't buy wine. You're not doing the wine business any favours at these ridiculously low prices. Drink less, pay more, drink better, and help small, quality focused producers who depend on a reasonable return for their efforts stay alive in the market. It's better for your health and the health of the environment as well: 2.99 wines are the 1.99 chickens of the wine world, and we can all do better.

Eric Edwards, London,

Right then the next eurotunnel leaves in.....

At this rate Mr Darling it'll be chaeper for me to drive from Scotland to France to stockup. Hows that going to reduce global warming? I'd like to think it was to prevent bingers but the reality is thats this is about Gordon overspending.

James, Glasgow,