Cheap alcohol costs lives, so stop the oiks drinking and close the pubs down, says Totnes Tory

Dr Sarah Wollaston, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Totnes (she’s taking over the mantel from the ‘venerable’ Anthony Steen) got in touch to talk about alcohol. She reckons the police should be able to remove the licence from pubs that sell cheap booze. Three cheers to curbs on irresponsible capitalism and the free market! Take it way Dr Sarah…

I agree with Chief Constable Otter that police need to be able to take action against irresponsible pubs, clubs and retail outlets which encourage binge drinking with ‘special offers’, ‘all you can drink’ and ‘happy hour’ sales promotions of cheap alcohol.

The police must have the support of new legislation which will allow them to recommend the withdrawal of drink licences from those irresponsible establishments which sell alcohol at ultra cheap prices which can contribute to alcohol related crime and anti-social behaviour.

The deaths of 31 people in the Paddington rail disaster resulted in a public enquiry. The 3,000 deaths from the 9/11 attacks resulted in Britain joining the Global War on Terror. But there has been no positive Government response to the nearly 9,000 deaths directly attributable to alcohol every year.

The true annual figure, if alcohol related deaths from accidents, violence and excess cancers are included, may be nearer 30,000.

Ultra cheap alcohol and 24-hour drinking is the fatal legacy of this Government’s shameful relationship with the drinks industry. If we are serious about preventing 863,000 alcohol related admissions to hospital every year and untold human misery, we have to do something about the price and availability of alcohol.

I would also like to see those binge drinkers who waste NHS time and cause delays and havoc in casualty departments charged for their attendance and the clearing up of the mess they leave behind. The NHS already charges those involved in road accidents so why not charge drunks and bring them back to apologise? We know that restorative justice can be highly effective.

There is no such thing as ‘cheap’ alcohol; we are all paying a very heavy price – at least £20 billion per year and counting. This Government must take action.

Dr Sarah Wollaston
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Totnes

• Controlling the oiks or a sensible policy? And where does the middle class winos fit into this? Comments below, please

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