The Pioneer Spirit recommended by George Osborne was probably gin, House of Commons sobriety chief, Charles Kunnidy said this morning. Pioneer Spirit is the latest feel good phrase being bandied about by the Tory spin doctors.
But Hogarth's graphic pictures of the destructive effects of Gin on London communites in pre-Victorian times are a reminder that alcohol is not the answer. Fruit juice or tap water quenches thirst much better than gin, said a commons bartender.
Medieval experts are combing through records to find out exactly what the Tories mean by this catchphrase. "It might be brandy they are referring to, which was well used by heavy drinking Pioneers said a drunken M.P. this lunchtime.
