Can they be serious?
Unbelievably, the Lib Dems last night confirmed that, if elected, they would lower the age at which teenagers can get served in pubs and off-licences to 16. Of course, that would really help the police cut down disorderly behaviour on George Street and Park End Street every weekend…
From what I’ve seen of friday and saturday nights down Park End Street I’m not convined the current law is stopping many 16 and 17 year olds from drinking.
Out of interest, when did you have your first drink in a pub?
That’s the danger with pinning your colours to the mast when you’re a LibDem Neil. Champagne Charlie went on Radio Four the other week and announced that LibDem policy had changed, and that he proposed, in some circumstances to raise the legal age for drinking. (I’ll bet he didn’t realise that was what he was saying, but not knowing what he’s on about it one of Charles’s traits…)
I wrote about this at the time at http://cramlingtonvillagecouncillor.blogspot.com/2005/02/how-not-to-lead.html#comments