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Drinkers will be raising a glass to Rishi Sunak after he stepped away from increasing booze taxes in the Budget today.

The Chancellor said he was abandoning a planned rise in duty on spirits and would freeze the rates on beer, cider and wine as well.

The announcement was one of a slew of announcements designed to help Britain's under-pressure High Streets and pubs as they struggle against an expected major coronavirus slowdown in the economy.

The duty freeze is only the second time almost two decades that the Treasury has avoided using drinking as a way to boost its coffers with a rate rise.