LIZ Truss has mounted a surprise defence of Diane Abbott’s right to swig mojitos on the tube as she lashed out at “a worrying outbreak of neo-puritanism”.
The Treasury chief secretary insisted there was “nothing wrong with people deciding to have a sneaky can of mojito in public”.
The law should be repealed to crack down only on drinkers who are causing a disturbance at the same time, Ms Truss added.
While defending the Shadow Home Secretary’s law breaking boozing last week, the Cabinet minister stepped up her attack on the growth of her own Government’s “nannying tendency”.
In a speech to the Freer think tank, Ms Truss argued: “When we try to micromanage people’s lives, we take away the freedoms that are crucial for them to feel in control.
“Freedom is the ability to make choices that others disapprove of.”
Ms Truss also lashed out on recent crackdowns on sugar and fatty foods, as well as minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland.
The Treasury boss also said Brexit should be seized on as a moment to reverse the state’s increasing role in people’s lives, and the UK should instead become “a beacon of freedom around the world”.
She added: “There’s been a worrying outbreak of neo-puritanism in Britain, which I fear is in danger of holding us back.
“Instead of wagging our finger at people enjoying themselves and doing things differently, we should celebrate the potential of our freedom and individual choices.”
AFP or licensors
