Lord Tebbit: No-deal Brexit will mean cheaper booze for UK

Drinkers will benefit from cheaper and better liquor under a no-deal Brexit, Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Tebbit has suggested to jeers in the Lords.

At question time, Lord Tebbit pointed to the “splendid statement” by the boss of Wetherspoons, Tim Martin, setting out “his method of dealing with a possible no-deal Brexit”.

To laughter and jeers, Lord Tebbit told peers: “He has ceased buying brandy from France - buying better and cheaper brandy from Australia, and so on with wines and others.

Lord Tebbit believes drinkers will benefit from cheaper liquor in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Picture: John Devlin

“The customers are getting better and cheaper liquor and the company is making better profits. Isn’t that a typical result of leaving with no agreement.”

Brexit minister Lord Callanan said he wasn’t sure he wanted to give advice to Wetherspoons on their purchasing policies.

“I hope they will continue to serve their customers well and I hope they will continue to make a profit,” Lord Callanan said.

“No deal is not our preferred outcome. It is the legal default. But the best way to avoid no deal is to vote for the deal.”

Labour former Cabinet minister Lord Hain demanded of the minister: “Do you really think that cheap brandy from Australia is better than French brandy?”

Lord Callanan admitted he had done no preparatory work for questions on the quality of different brandies from across the world.