THE SCYTHE OF NUTRITION

In the news today, doctors announce that the nation's unhealthy diet is, in fact, costing more to the NHS than smoking-related disorders. At least one doctor is urging the government to take firm action, raising taxes, adding health warnings and generally rallying against nutritionally poor food types - your crisps, your junk food, your buttery products - much as the campaign against cigarettes has developed over the last twenty years.

Has anyone noticed that, whatever we do, everyone will die? And I mean, everyone. Eat well, don't smoke, exercise, take vitamins, bathe in the blood of fair maidens - the end result is always the same - you will die.

Health taxation seems to be missing that point. We have to die from something. No amount of raising taxes in the name of protecting the nation's health can change that. You keep raising these taxes, people are going to die from exhaustion where they have to work all hours of the day to pay them. Then what are you gonna do, Mister Chancellor? Tax wages?!! I think you'll find you already covered that one at the outset.

Benjamin Franklin assured us that there are two things which are guaranteed in life - death and taxes. Do we really have to keep upping the latter in some vain attempt to stave off the inevitability of the former?