MPs vow to block any attempt by Boris Johnson to scrap the sugar tax

Boris Johnson faced a ferocious backlash over his plans to review the sugar tax yesterday, as MPs threatened to block any attempt to scrap it.

Theresa May, anti-obesity campaigners and opposition politicians all criticised Mr Johnson’s suggestion the levy could be abandoned amid a moratorium on ‘sin taxes’.

Downing Street defended the measure, saying it had led to a 44million kg reduction in the amount of sugar consumed by Britons after soft drinks firms changed their recipes.

And former public health minister Steve Brine – a supporter of Jeremy Hunt – suggested he would rebel against any attempt to abolish the tax, telling Mr Johnson: ‘I’ll see you in the House of Commons.’ Mr Brine also hailed the tax as a ‘remarkably successful piece of policy-making’.

Mr Johnson’s announcement also exposed splits among his Tory supporters. Treasury chief secretary Liz Truss, an early backer of his leadership campaign, hailed the frontrunner’s proposals. ‘Taxes on treats hit those on lowest incomes,’ she said. ‘We should be free to choose.’

By contrast, Health Secretary Matt Hancock – who endorsed Mr Johnson when his leadership bid failed – said sin taxes ‘are working’ and help to cut obesity. He said: ‘I strongly support having an evidence-based review into how these taxes are working.’

Downing Street has said that the sugar tax has led to 44 kg reduction in sugar consumed by Britons

Mr Hancock backed extending the sugar tax to milkshakes and banning energy drink sales to under 16s in a policy paper which called the existing levy ‘hugely successful’.

Mr Johnson’s leadership rival Jeremy Hunt said scrapping the tax would be ‘terrible’ for young people. He said he was ‘totally confused’ by Mr Johnson’s policy, adding: ‘He’s saying he doesn’t want these sin taxes, but he’s got Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, in his team – who strongly supports them.’

Theresa May, anti-obesity campaigners and opposition politicians all criticised Mr Johnson

Yesterday Mr Johnson defended the policy, saying obesity was ‘probably now our number one public health challenge’.

But he said he wanted to see evidence that the tax, which disproportionately hits poorer families, ‘actually stops people from being so fat’. 

He said exercise was a ‘far, far better solution – encouraging kids to walk and to cycle – than putting punitive taxes on stuff that they eat’. Mr Hancock endorsed that message, telling Sky News: ‘Of course there’s the tax, but there’s more ways we can make sure that we tackle obesity.’

Mr Johnson’s leadership rival Jeremy Hunt said that scrapping sugar tax would be ‘terrible’

Referencing Mr Johnson’s recent weight loss, he added: ‘Boris himself is a great example of how we can all get fit and svelte without the need of the nanny state by getting on and doing more exercise and cycling to work.’

Obesity Health Alliance’s Caroline Cerny said the levy was ‘vitally needed’ and argued voluntary programmes encouraging the food industry to cut sugar content have not been as successful as the tax.