I saw a great programme the other day, a short Panorama report talking about hiking the price of junk food by adding a tax on top. Let’s face it. We’ve taxed most things, so what’s left?

I know, let’s tax the food that makes us fat.

Now it’s true we have a major problem in this country. Obesity’s rising faster than Jeremy Clarkson’s blood pressure, and it’s so bad now that 13-15% (at last check) of kids from 8-15 are actually obese too.

Kids for crying out loud!

I have no problem with the idea of hiking up the price of junk food, but there is one thing I do find hard to swallow. You see, it’s all very well “protecting the kids”, or whatever other reason the politicians use to spin the whole thing to get us on their side, but there’s a flip side… And that’s the cost of healthy food.

They can try to price people out of the high sugar, high fat stuff, or even just bump the price up to provide a bit of negative persuasion, but if it’s under the pretence that we’re trying to help the nation stay healthy, then that tax needs to be put back into taking the price of healthier foods down, and at this stage, that’s not part of the plan. Read more about “Fat tax” for Worthing? …