U-Turn on minimum alcohol price

[girasol]

Charities claim super-strong beers are causing more damage to vulnerable people than heroin or crack cocaine...

So what's to be done? Raise prices or something else? I really am not sure.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21766309

 

[girasol]

Damn, failed to add poll

 

[Pickman's model]

yes, raise the prices of heroin and crack cocaine.

poll fail btw

 

[Teaboy]

Tesco must be gutted. This whole policy seemed designed to make some of the wealthiest companies in Britain every so slightly more wealthy.

 

[DotCommunist]

Good, another fucknuckle government policy lies ruined when faced with reality

 

[two sheds]

I only learned yesterday that beer prices have gone so high in pubs because of the 'beer escalator tax' introduced by Labour in 2008 means that beer prices are rising at 2% above inflation until 2014/5.

I take the point because of the link between alcohol and crime/violence, but that seems to be just hitting pubs that are the social centres of many places.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

This is outrageous. Poor people must be made to pay more for their alcohol. It's for their own good, damnit.

 

[Teaboy]

I only learned yesterday that beer prices have gone so high in pubs because of the 'beer escalator tax' introduced by Labour in 2008 means that beer prices are rising at 2% above inflation until 2014/5.

I take the point because of the link between alcohol and crime/violence, but that seems to be just hitting pubs that are the social centres of many places.

Yup the last government made it their mission to drive as many pubs out of business as they could and they were quite effective at it. This government has done nothing to change that.

 

[Frances Lengel]

As if minimum pricing will stop an alcoholic from drinking - Addiction's a thing that needs to be allowed to run it's course IMO, by all means offer decent help to addicts but neither carrot nor stick will work I don't reckon.

Plus minimum pricing will have no effect on the town centre weekend binge drinking culture coz pub prices (even at happy hour) are higher than the proposed minimum price per unit anyway.

 

[gosub]

Minimum pricing already introduced in Scotland, not that I buy cheap booze

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Why not just cut the minimum wage instead?

Or cut benefits? Oh wait, they're doing that too...

 

[Blagsta]

Where can i buy these 20p cans of lager?

 

[gosub]

Yup the last government made it their mission to drive as many pubs out of business as they could and they were quite effective at it. This government has done nothing to change that.

What, the one Lord Sainsbury was associated with? The one that changed all the licensing laws (to stop binge drinking -but meant you could buy a pint and have to down it in a minute), which more supermarkets took advantage of than pubs, the one that changed the drink driving laws you don't know if a pint with a meal in a rural pub will put you over?

 

[two sheds]

Where can i buy these 20p cans of lager?

House of Commons Bar i'd imagine.

 

[Lixer]

God this country is a mess

 

[fractionMan]

Where can i buy these 20p cans of lager?

Beat me to it!

Mr Cameron said the government was considering the outcome of a consultation but said sales of "20p cans of lager" has "got to change".

 

[8ball]

People should be stopped from having their own money that they can spend on 'things they want/like'.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Where can i buy these 20p cans of lager?

Low-alcohol ones, perhaps. You can get relatively cheap 2% alcohol ale in some places.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Lower-class people should be stopped from having their own money that they can spend on 'things they want/like'.

Corrected for you.

 

[8ball]

Corrected for you.

That's definitely the way we are moving. Cash and bank accounts for the poshos and ration stamps for the rest of us.

 

[frogwoman]

Of course there's no chance at all that this will create an explosion in the production of illegal drinks, "perfume" bottles being sold etc

 

[Teaboy]

What, the one Lord Sainsbury was associated with? The one that changed all the licensing laws (to stop binge drinking -but meant you could buy a pint and have to down it in a minute), which more supermarkets took advantage of than pubs, the one that changed the drink driving laws you don't know if a pint with a meal in a rural pub will put you over?

Thats the one.

Mind they were right about drink driving, and no you won't be over the limit if you have a pint with a meal (unless its a pint of wine or something, or you were on the lash the night before), but I wouldnt do it anyway.

 

[Teaboy]

Minimum pricing already introduced in Scotland, not that I buy cheap booze

The problems they are having in Scotland with the legal challanges and the difficulties in implementing the law is apparently one of the reasons some ministers are going cold on the idea. Back to the good old days of trying laws out on Scotland first, except this time self-imposed.

Where can i buy these 20p cans of lager?

How much is Ace Lager these days? I get all my knowledge of the North East from Viz and its seem to have been 8 cans for £1.49 for a while now.

 

[DotCommunist]

Low-alcohol ones, perhaps. You can get relatively cheap 2% alcohol ale in some places.

nup, Kaliber and other low alcohol drinks are fractionally cheaper, but not 20 fucking pence. I don't think you can get a Panda Pop for twenty p. You could get two ice poles and melt them into a glass for 20p.


Cameron and the fucking massive wine cellar under the HoP can GTF

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Back in the 90s when I had a load of stuff to do, I switched to 2% ale for a while. It was 88p for 4 cans, which was far cheaper than anything else. That was about 1997. You're right, he's just talking out of his arse.

 

[Frances Lengel]

The problems they are having in Scotland with the legal challanges and the difficulties in implementing the law is apparently one of the reasons some ministers are going cold on the idea. Back to the good old days of trying laws out on Scotland first, except this time self-imposed.



How much is Ace Lager these days? I get all my knowledge of the North East from Viz and its seem to have been 8 cans for £1.49 for a while now.

Viz is usually pretty on the ball WRT social commentary, but there's no way a semi down and out pisshead like Octavius Ace would drink Ace lager - It's only 3% ffs. They should've depicted him drinking cans of White Ace cider, then the strip would've worked.

 

[DotCommunist]

Octavious Tinsworth Ace to you frances

 

[Teaboy]

Some guy here reckons you can still buy 8 ace for £1.49 in one place:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/federation-ace-lager/19267/

Still even at £2 its still 25p a can. Broken Britain right there.

 

[girasol]

If solving alcoholism/binge drinking was as simple as raising the prices of drinks up, would it be the right thing to do? Simple solutions are always so tempting to adopt...

 

[Lixer]

If solving alcoholism/binge drinking was as simple as raising the prices of drinks up, would it be the right thing to do? Simple solutions are always so tempting to adopt...

It's a pattern with governments. They put a plaster on it but never get to the root of the problem.