Cheap Booze and Low Politics
Scotland's First Minister - Alex Salmond - has criticised opposition parties at Holyrood for voting down a proposal that would have introduced a minimum price for alcohol - purchased in supermarkets and off-sales.
The First Minister's comments come on the back of similar plans announced by the Westminster government for England and Wales - also designed to tackle the cheap booze culture.
Admittedly the Westminster scheme is less ambitious than the one put forward originally by the Scottish government - but it is a start, a recognition of the scale of the problem - and the need to tackle it with deeds and not just words.
So the First Minister is asking - metaphorically speaking of course - how come the 'faintheart' parties at Holyrood turn into such 'bravehearts' at Westminster?
Seems like a very reasonable question to me.
The First Minister's comments come on the back of similar plans announced by the Westminster government for England and Wales - also designed to tackle the cheap booze culture.
Admittedly the Westminster scheme is less ambitious than the one put forward originally by the Scottish government - but it is a start, a recognition of the scale of the problem - and the need to tackle it with deeds and not just words.
So the First Minister is asking - metaphorically speaking of course - how come the 'faintheart' parties at Holyrood turn into such 'bravehearts' at Westminster?
Seems like a very reasonable question to me.
