MPs want Happy Hour ban

[Little Buzz 10]

if he pays more in he,s entitled too

 

in which case we might as well abandon the welfare state if we're all taking out what we put in - might as well keep it and buy medical care for ourselves when we need it.

[Chopsie 10]

people who drink and smoke pay more into the country than a smoke free tea total person does

 

What a load of nonsense. What if the smoking drinker doesn't work? Or doesn't own a car, therefore doesn't pay extortionate fuel duty every time he/she fills their car up? And what if they buy their fags duty free from a bloke down the pub selling them out of a holdall? You can't make such sweeping generalisations I'm afraid.

[pk014b7161 11]

what if he does work and own a car and buys legit cigs ?

[Chopsie 10]

what if he does work and own a car and buys legit cigs ?

 

You don't get it do you - it's just not that simple. He might have kids that receive child benefit, free nursery places, or go to school or various other things a non-parent doesn't benefit from - the point is, the argument is only valid if you are comparing two individuals with exactly the same income, family circumstances, health history, spending patterns, residential status etc etc, so to make the sweeping generalisation that 'smokers and drinkers pay more in taxes' is just impossible to substantiate.

 

All they pay is more duty on fags and booze, which doesn't necessarily equate to the same thing.

[Dozy 11]

The Government's already tried to tackle the problem with legislation:

 

"Increased police powers to tackle drunkenness were not working and powers to review or revoke premises' alcohol licences were not being fully used, it said."

 

So, that fails and, instead of trying to get it to work, they immediately want to introduce more legislation. If that fails, I suppose there'll be another bright idea along.

 

I don't drink alcohol at all, so I've nothing to lose or gain, whatever happens. But I can't help thinking that, if you're the sort of person who thinks having a good time is getting paralytic, puking and peeing in the streets and beating the bejasus out of somebody because they look at you the wrong way, then an increase in the price of alcohol is unlikely to stop you. You'll just find ways round it - like getting tanked up in the house before you go out.

 

Even if the price of alcohol is fixed in shops, it usually still works out a hell of a lot cheaper than buying it in pubs and clubs. And there'll be even more vans going over to buy tax-free booze from abroad, that can be sold on, like there is with cigarettes.

 

In the meantime, people who enjoy a drink (and don't cause trouble) will end up paying more for the pleasure.

[pk014b7161 11]

it always ends the same the few spoil it for the many

[shoeshine 10]

I am mostly highly amused by most of the contributions to this thread.

 

ID Cards/Fingerprinting at Supermarkets/Smoking in public/Smoking 1 hour before a workman turns up at your house to change a fuse/Screw the drinkers for more tax/Kids wearing goggles to play "conkers" ............ etc etc etc

 

And we all sit back and moan, and moan and moan.

 

Don't you realise that you're being conditioned by our NuMasters of the Universe?

 

Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

 

You are allowing all this to happen by your own apathy.

 

Tear yourselves away from "Strictly Come Dancing" and use your computers to see what's really happening.

 

You are about to be owned!

[sandie 11]

Why should there be any kind of policy or legislation on drinks prices? People don't go into a supermarket and then discover upon leaving that a wily cut-price alcohol product has hoodwinked them into purchasing it. They buy the alcohol because they choose to buy it. These kind of discussions rely on the underlying assumption that people are idiots incapable of making their own decisions and easily fooled by pricing schemes. That's a fundamental lack of respect for the electorate.

 

Any adult should be entitled to the default assumption that they're autonomous and mature enough to manage their own alcohol intake and expenditure independently. That's what being an adult means. It's a widely-used cliche but this is a great example of the nanny state in action.

 

The true role of government should be to handle the things that people can't manage for themselves. I can't maintain a national military myself, construct a nationwide rail and motorway network or provide hospitals with high-tech equipment for cancer treatment etc., so I'll let the government take care of that. I'm perfectly capable, however, of deciding how much alcohol I wish to drink and how much I wish to spend on that. Not only is it a shocking waste of my taxes to legislate for something I'm easily able to do alone, but it's also highly patronising.

 

If the government isn't able to give adults this basic level of respect, why should the electorate give the government anything other than their proudly extended middle fingers?

 

Why dont we adopt the same rules to drivers as to drinkers.

As car insurance has its levels ie a licence for the groups from 17 to 21, 21 to 25 and 25 to 31.

The younger you are the cost increases and as you become more sensable the price goes down. If you are involved in an alcohol incident then you automaticlly have an extention on your licence.

OK it will never happen, but why should the rest of us pay more because of the idiots.

Rant over

[taxman 12]

Why dont we adopt the same rules to drivers as to drinkers.

As car insurance has its levels ie a licence for the groups from 17 to 21, 21 to 25 and 25 to 31.

The younger you are the cost increases and as you become more sensable the price goes down. If you are involved in an alcohol incident then you automaticlly have an extention on your licence.

OK it will never happen, but why should the rest of us pay more because of the idiots.

Rant over

 

Ooh, I quite like that one. Being nearly 40 I reckon I should receive a rebate on the price of my alcohol, funded by increased prices for youths.

 

Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter

[PuressenceUK 10]

Going back to the original point raised.

 

Do MPs plan to ban any other hits by 'The Housemartins'?

 

I hope they don't ban 'Caravan of Love' - that was quite catchy.

[Squiggs 11]

It will be the pork scratchings next. They won't be happy until all that is on offer is freshly squeezed banana juice and Walkers Tofu Bites.

 

I wish we could get Walkers Tofu Bites. But as well as the booze.

 

On the topic, I'd be pleased if "Happy Hours" were barred, getting away from the incentive of "pour as much down your neck as quick as you can to get p***ed cheap". But ONLY if drinks prices were lowered the rest of the time - not to HH prices, but down a bit from this stupid £3.40/pint that we now see in some locals.

 

Although I know that this would never happen. That would be just too sensible.

[PuressenceUK 10]

I wish we could get Walkers Tofu Bites. But as well as the booze.

 

On the topic, I'd be pleased if "Happy Hours" were barred, getting away from the incentive of "pour as much down your neck as quick as you can to get p***ed cheap". But ONLY if drinks prices were lowered the rest of the time - not to HH prices, but down a bit from this stupid £3.40/pint that we now see in some locals.

 

Although I know that this would never happen. That would be just too sensible.

 

I think you can make your own Walkers Tofu Bites. Just get a large pencil eraser and cut into thin crisp like slices and place into an empty crisp packet.