TORIES' ALCOHOL RE-LABELLING POLICY A JOKE

12.00.00am GMT Wed 13th Jan 2010

Commenting on the Conservative party's plans to combat excessive alcohol consumption by scrapping the use of 'units of alcohol' to measure the alcoholic content of drinks, and replace it with a measure in 'centilitres', Jenny Willott, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, said:

"If the Tories think that this will crack down on binge drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence, they are living in cloud cuckoo land.

"Someone needs to tell the Tories that a unit of alcohol is the same as a centilitre of alcohol. The idea that changing the name of alcoholic measurements will combat our growing booze culture is frankly ridiculous.

"Changing the labelling of drinks is pointless if it is only voluntary. The current voluntary system has failed. Only half of all alcoholic drinks sold in the UK currently show information on alcoholic content.

"There is no evidence that this will make any difference to the levels of alcoholism and binge drinking, especially in Wales, where alcohol related deaths have risen faster than anywhere else in the UK.

"This is a serious problem that requires serious action. I want to see mandatory drinks labelling, a minimum price of alcohol to stop supermarkets selling booze at pocket-money prices and a comprehensive alcohol rehabilitation programme to help alcoholics combat their addictions."