'The controversial alcohol “price-fixing” scheme is an attempt to stop the sale of beer, wine and spirits at discounted prices, which is blamed for encouraging excessive drinking. The cost of the cheapest alcoholic drinks sold by supermarkets could more than double. It will also apply to pubs, clubs and other licensed premises. The scheme could see the starting cost of drinks fixed at between 40p and 50p per alcoholic unit – leading to a six-pack of lager costing about £6 and a bottle of wine costing £4.50. Cheap bottles of cider could quadruple in price. The crackdown will mark the culmination of a scheme, overseen by Andy Burnham, the Health Secretary, to cut alcohol abuse. Tackling the problem will be a major plank of the party’s manifesto.'The massive rise in anti-social drinking during Labour's 'watch' has hammered the NHS; doubled the number of drunks at A & E; fuelled alcohol-related crime and made many town centres into 'no-go areas' at weekends. This Blog has long shown the way of dealing with this equitably but this report in The Telegraph shows Labour's appalling response.
It is an absolute disgrace and here is why:
1] Their solution is all about raising taxation even further.
2] It ignores the root cause of the problem which was their own, absurd liberalisation of licensing laws. There was abundant cheap alcohol around before they took power without the present consequences!
3] It will not stop the hardcore drinkers who will simply turn to crime and those with families will see these price rises move them and their children ever closer to destitution.
4] The biggest issue for me is that, yet again, THE INNOCENT WILL BE PUNISHED TO TRY TO GET AT THE GUILTY which is profoundly immoral.
5] Pubs and clubs - many of which are central to communities - have already plummeted in numbers because of this government's other follies. In my opinion, this nonsense would probably close at least half of the remaining pubs and clubs in the UK at the same time as upping unemployment by a six figure sum.
6] This plays into the hands of the BNP. The 'working man' when he gets really angry has just one way of responding.
7] Many of the poorer, responsible people in society including many OAPs will no longer be able to afford the odd bottle of wine or pack of ale from the supermarket.
Why not deal with the problem? - That means sorting out the people who are abusing alcohol, not those who do not!
The solution is simple. Revert to the former licensing laws and genuine, severe punishments for all alcohol-related crime. £80 fines for booze-inspired social mayhem is laughable. 7 nights in a cell might be a far better starting point as a deterrent!
The only good thing about Labour's plans is that it would be a big boost for the home brewing industry!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6983707/Cost-of-cheap-alcohol-will-double-to-curb-binge-drinking.html
