How do you make politics even more unpopular with the youth of today, at the same time as making sure hundreds of pubs close week on week? Simple, you ‘clamp down’ on on drinks offers.
Now I say ‘clamp down’ in inverted commas because it’s not exactly a clamp down. In reality what you’re doing is flattening it so it makes more of a mess.
This is the news that some bright spark thought it would be a good idea to propose – amongst other things – a ban on ‘all-you-can-drink’ offers should the Labour party be re-elected next year. This isn’t to say the Tories aren’t doing something similar, just there’s isn’t as silly.
Cheery statistics such as 40,000 deaths from alcohol abuse in England and Wales and the cost of this being £8mill upwards have been thrown around, just at the time when we’re all totally not thinking about who to vote for at the next election.
Things like a ban on speed-drinking competitions in bars and smaller measures of alcohol are apparently going to make us come out of our so called ‘Booze Britain’. Urm, no. Sorry, who have you been talking to – Miss South Carolina? Have you seen the price of alcohol in ASDA recently? Hmm. Turns out no rules have been set on the supermarkets.
Like one girl said in an interview on the radio earlier, “It’s all about the pre-drinks”. Us teenagers, we aren’t idiots you know (despite most mass media telling you otherwise). If we can get two litres of vodka for £15 from ASDA, or 25ml for £1.50, what do you think we’ll do? Essentially what you’re telling us to do is drink stupidly more while pre-drinking and not spend money in your already failing pubs and clubs. Smart one.
Okay, I’m sounding like a American debate show host complaining about everything and anything just so I have something to put here, but let me share with you a little story…
Being 18 years old is a right of passage in the UK. You technically become an adult. You can vote, you can drink, you can… probably shoot someone I don’t know. It’s now suddenly possible to do things you’d been stopped from doing for the whole of your life. Think how the Fritzl family felt when they finally saw the outside, and you’ll probably see where I’m going with this (just imagine, not conduct an experiment. I see you. Put the padlock away…). You’re going to tell me that now I’m allowed to do something, I can’t do it? I’m still going to, for the life experience.
Last day of term at my old school. Obviously, I’m now 18 and I can go to an ‘all-you-can-drink-for £12’ event held at a local club. I’m out to celebrate with my friends. I drink a lot. I’m eventually sick from the amount of alcohol I’ve consumed. I now know my limit (however fun it was to find it).
When I go out nowadays, I’ll go to someone’s house for pre-drinks, get suitably drunk (but still able to, y’know, function) and maybe only have a one or two drinks when out. Saves money, it’s more social, and I’m fine with that. What your planning to introduce is something that’s about as useful as putting a koala bear in camouflage gear – I’m sure you did something to make my life harder, but I just can’t see the point.
So essentially the plans – which would come into effect around October time – from all three major political parties sees the average Joe lose out when they want the occasional drink. Hmm. Maybe they can put that on their expenses too.
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