Blair defends drinking liberalisation
The Prime Minister has defended Government plans to relax the opening hours of licensed premises.
Crime statistics out this morning show a strong link between alcohol and violent crime, with over 70 per cent of hospital admissions at key times related to alcohol.
The Conservatives have been attacking plans to extend licensing hours, arguing that it is an inconsistent measure alongside the Government’s stated desire to reduce anti social behaviour.
Speaking at his monthly press conference Tony Blair rejected suggestions that longer drinking times would exacerbate current problems, saying: “It should be perfectly possible to have more flexible opening hours without people going on the rampage and beating other people up.
“The fact is why should the vast majority of law-abiding people be denied flexible licensing because of a small minority who frankly whether the pubs and bars are open more or not are out for mischief.”
He promised that new powers would make sure “we come down really hard on this” stating there is a “whole panoply of powers” at the disposal of the authorities.
“The police have got the powers to close pubs and clubs which are regularly the scene of fights and problems.
“They also have the ability of on-the-spot fines, to fine people who are drunk and disorderly.”
“I think one of the things we need to do over the next few months is in communities up and down the country is to get the police and the local people together to say, here are the problems on anti-social behaviour of which alcohol-related violence is one, and here are the powers and this is how we are going to tackle this problem.”
The problem was already being “properly” tackled in certain areas around the country, the PM stated.
