03 January, 2008

The Demon Drink

My first reaction to a report in the Independent that Gordon Brown was taking charge of the campaign against (binge) drinking was 'that's OK, nothing will be done'. But there's more: they plan to base the duty on units of alcohol. This is about the silliest thing I've heard: it means that the price of whisky will be dramatically reduced relative to that of beer, which is surely not what they want. It will in any case not be permitted by the EU.

Apparently the Home Secretary (the appalling Jaqui Smith) and the culture secretary, whose name I've already forgotten, will draw up a plan. Oh dear.

The first mistake is to assume that the drunks in the street are in any way connected to the price of drink. Here in Italy where wine costs about 50p a bottle you never see public drunkenness, because the Italians know it is unattractive and they would be letting their families down if caught. Britain needs to undergo a complete cultural shift to make this change.

The second mistake is to assume government action can do anything. Alcohol Disorder Zones are the latest and they will be a failure just like Tony Blair's initiative.

Something they might (but won't) try is punishing parents for the behaviour of their children.

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