Message posted by James at 08:33 pm, Sat 7th Jun 2008
Hi Ed, As I watched your video, sitting in an internet cafe, scores of publicly drunk people were walking by the door, brawling and shouting. And it's only 9:30pm! I am pretty sure that most of them
are over 18, so my question is, what are you going to do about the larger problem of our behaviour with alcohol as a society? Being still in my 20's and with my experience at university a recent
memory, I can attest that I'm not perfect myself. But the difference between our public behaviour and that of the people of Europe, for example, is so large as to be embarrassing. I want to know if
it is indeed *possible* for the government to do anything to improve this, as it seems to be ingrained in our culture? Thanks, James
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Message posted by Michael at 04:15 pm, Sat 7th Jun 2008
Hi Ed, I want to go with James (5th June) on this one who asks what's being done in schools to help educate children - but widen that to include all Active Community solutions. Take drinking, it is a
health issue rather related to junk food where in later life the problems will hit the risk taker, if they live that long. Take knife crimes, where active citizens (including our Councillors) can
help teenagers to build self confidence in who they are and in understanding how to combat such threats. Take mental and wellbeing health where taking part in the community (Active Citizenship)can
help bridge inter-generation gaps. Take social enterprises able to inspire all around us with new ideas. Today we do not do enough to enourage teenagers, the best ages of vision at a fantastic time
where new techonolgy can unlock the talents of many. Our Labour Government should invest in a real determination to enable, empower all to have the right to be active citizens, stamping their ideas
into the future map of communities. If it takes our taxpayer money to fund the campaign to sell new opportunties, it has my vote. Renew hope, strengthen national pride and educate all to let citizens
see the world as our future. Give us good reasons to not drink but to engage in building good communities around us. The Government should also invest in out of school opportunties, build innovated
spaces in partnership with young local people, offer places on local management committees to the young people. As a Labour party adult member I have become disallousined at letting young people down
but it is never too late to make amends. The URBIS in Manchester has found a good answer to knife crime, so what young people's project has found the drink solution. Ed, ask young people what they
want to do about it - it worked at the URBIS !
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Message posted by gary at 11:37 pm, Sat 7th Jun 2008
URBIS sounds like a step in the right direction - and i second your views on empowering youth and active citizenship. we need much greater investment in this field - and if it means taxpayers money
than so be it. i'm sure the british public could realize this investment would be beneficial to all our futures. we need to remove fear and the sense of us v them, we need to eradicate ghettos that
foster crime and isolation from the rest of society, we need the means to gain respect and give respect; i hope the labour party will place these issues high on its agenda - economic decisions should
go hand in hand with a social conscience.
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Message posted by Lily at 06:22 pm, Fri 6th Jun 2008
Straight back at LP. Why do kids drink? Welbecause they watch adults rinking in public, and they wanna feel grown-up. Stop having drinking inblic being allowed at all. Try thinking about who kids
learn from. So who's really to be sued, cautioned, punished? Exactly, adults that won't take responsibility, people who drink in front of children and thereby give them the impression that drinking
is THE idea.
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Message posted by gary at 01:29 am, Sat 7th Jun 2008
the heavy drinking culture in this country, in my eyes, seems to stem from the fact that a lot of people are quite unhappy with their lives - work, finances, prospects etc; and while it seems they
drink to have a good time it is more likely that they are escaping/avoiding responsibility. it annoys me when i hear mps comparing continental drinking habits to our own and saying we need to develop
their more convivial approach to drink. don,t these mps realise it will never happen until we also adopt similar attitudes to employment, education, welfare etc, right down to issues like public
transport, maternity/paternity leave. a hell of a lot of people have a very poor quality of life in this country - until we begin to address that, the problems we have with alcohol will continue. it
will take courage to drive through radical reforms though - and their are no quick fixes. so i guess, being pessimistic, the uks downward spiral, culturally and economically, will continue.
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Message posted by gary m at 10:20 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
the chief medical officer will discuss with experts,parents and children themselves.....blah blah baloney. children should not be allowed to drink at all - younger than 18 and it should be an
offence; and any guardian facillitating drinking for people younger than this should also be reprimanded. and do you really think a lot of these disenfranchised youths will care about being caught
anyway - its not like they can actually be punished or made to feel remorse, guilt or any sense of responsibility towards a society that offers them so little in the way of future prospects. the
roots of these problems lie in the ever increasing gap between the haves and the have nots in this country - indicative of a government guided by business rather than a code of principals and
beliefs. look at the moral decay that has set in over the last 10-20yrs. look at kids drinking on street corners, carrying knives, creating no go areas - if the governments worried than it only has
itself to blame. you get what you pay for. i realise it,s not quite so grim but we need to wake up fast because at the moment it,s only getting worse - wake up labour party and open your eyes - get
back to your roots
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Message posted by David at 01:16 pm, Thu 5th Jun 2008
I think policy has to change as the years go by - getting "back to the roots" is like saying revert back to things that don't work anymore. That fact is this drinking culture much be challenged using
modern methods - and if it's not effective we should try something else.
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Message posted by Paul at 03:31 pm, Thu 5th Jun 2008
The old ways work fine in these situations we don't need new ones. England needs to get back to it's old roots for this and only then will we see change. But the way the goverment is acting now it
will be along time before we see any change. I'm all for change and new methods but England needs to relise some old methods still would work best after all these years.
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Message posted by Jason at 09:44 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
Ed, should we be targeting drinks manfacturers that target their products at young people? I mean curbing posters that make certain drinks look cool to young people. The small "drink responsibly"
stuff doesn't seem to have much or an effect.
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Message posted by David at 09:41 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
Ed, will we get to see the fruits of this change or will it be yet another measure that seems to die out?
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Message posted by James at 09:39 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
Hi Ed, thanks for your latest YouTube video! I'd like to ask what's being done in schools to help educate children about alcohol and what measures teachers can take to ensure young people don't start
drinking at an early age and end up committing crime?
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Message posted by aidy at 08:56 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
"Labour will stamp out persistent teen binge-drinking" really..you'll stamp it out.oh ok..what a typically absurd political statement. Can you, hand on heart, tell me that in the space of a few
months Labour have devised a plan that will adhere to this bold statement. I just can't bear political time wasting like this, you seem to be so far out of touch with reality these days I'm not sure
theres any hope for decent politics anymore. Your message was yet again full of empty words, "we have stronger powers with the police" WHAT POWERS for crying out loud! Don't just spout out the same
tired meaningless statements, smugly expecting us to take you seriously. And for the love of god, who are these "parents" you keep talking too that are so inept that they need advice from the
government about safe drinking for their children...it scares me to think you are basing policy on these people. Stop wasting our time and money!
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Message posted by gary m at 12:19 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
the uk needs to radically change licensing laws - especially regarding off licences. sales of alcohol in shops should be limited to a few hours per day and not allowed after 6pm. pubs that stock
spirits and other strong alcohol should be for over 21s only. parents of under 18s found drinking in public or anywhere should be fined and counselled about alcohol with their kids. of course none of
this will happen - like everything else in this country greed rules - so lets just carry on making token gestures and sweeping the dust under the mat. if these suggestions seem like they would be too
expensive to legilate and enforce then i wonder what this country (it's government and people) really values
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Message posted by Adam at 12:31 pm, Wed 4th Jun 2008
Hang on a sec. I thought that the raising of alcohol taxes were supposed to curb this. Oh no we have all been fleeced again...and again...and again.
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Message posted by James at 09:42 am, Thu 5th Jun 2008
I think the Government is aiming for a multi-pronged approach. Raising taxes alone will not curb youth drinking, you have to do other things as well.
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Message posted by Peter B at 09:53 pm, Mon 2nd Jun 2008
Caleb has it slightly wrong. Children's drinking is in responce to their parent's, or perhaps teacher's, drinking. I fully support Becky's comments. The proposals seem to lean towards Police powers
and ASBO's, but I think more should be done by parents and teachers, and the Government, to encourage children to avoid all harmful substances - alcohol, drugs, smoking, etc. How about banning
advertising of alcoholic drink, just as tobacco advertising is not permitted.
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Message posted by Thomas at 04:26 pm, Tue 3rd Jun 2008
Yes, Peter, that is a wonderful idea: lets ban alcohol advertising. In fact, why not ban all non-government approved advertising or even advertitsing full stop? How about we introduce a program
whereby if a company would like to advertise their product, they must apply to the Government for a 1 minute slot per month on a specifically designated website. This website could also include next
to the advertisement all the health warnings associated with the product so as to save innocent people from the tyranny of gigantean corporations. We are just so helplessly caught up by the media,
tossed about in the sea of popular culture, unaided and unguided. People need help and must be released them from perpetual slavery. What is necessary therefore is for the Government to come in an
sort things out for us - set us on the right path. That is what a Government is for - to guide us and help us, a body of wiser people to steer the rest of us through whatever scary turmoil may come
our way. We must submit ourselfs to their rule and know always that what they do is in our best interests. I am therefore unconditionally supportive of all alcohol-related mandates.
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Message posted by Joanna at 10:02 am, Wed 4th Jun 2008
I don't mean to sound offensive in any way, especially as I am here to learn more about the party before beginning Politics for A Level, but this whole idea of, 'we must submit ourselves to their
rule and know always that what they do is in our best interests,' sounds a lot like Communism. Can you explain it differently?
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Message posted by Caleb at 09:13 pm, Mon 2nd Jun 2008
Every one knows that we all drink loads more than is reccomended for adults. How will this differ for the guidlines for kids?
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Message posted by Becky at 06:58 pm, Mon 2nd Jun 2008
I like this - and think it could go a long way to sort out drink related anti social brhaviour. I still do think we need to do more on cider and alco pops though.
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Message posted by Lynn at 03:29 pm, Mon 2nd Jun 2008
I have supported Labour all my life, as did my father who was a NAHT county rep for many years. Ar every new, repressive peice of legislation, I say I will never vote for you again, and on every
occasion I change my mind as I consider the alternative. Finally however I have had enough. How dare this government tell me what I may or may not do in my own home - should I choose to follow the
rest of Europe and give my kids watered wine(or not) I will do so. I am so weary of health-fascism and controlling know-alls - I have supported even Gordon against the witlessly fashionable railings
against him - this time, you have lost me. Kind regards Lynn Foote
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Message posted by Sam at 08:52 pm, Mon 2nd Jun 2008
Lynn I really think you're wrong. A Government who didn't try and tackle this kind of issue would be irresponsible to say the least. He's not talking about what you want to in your own home, he's
talking about a wider problem that needs sorted. I somehow suspect, however, that you weren't just turned off from voting Labour from this announcement. I've noticed a lot of people on here recently
saying "I have supported Labour all my life but..." and then have a random rant against the Government and I'm starting to suspect foul play by people who've never voted Labour in their life...
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Message posted by matthew at 01:04 am, Tue 3rd Jun 2008
The goverment will not sort this problem out, until they bring in a law that closes all corner shops that sell alcohol to minors. Failing that the fines for those who do should be much higher, so
high that they then think about what they are selling and to who. There should also be much more money put into youth services to give kids something to do. The rants you go on about against the
goverment are not from people who have never voted labour in their life but are from people who see that the once great labour movment has been highjacked by the torries. I peronally cannot believe
that they are doing so badly against a party who have no plans for the county. However when i see all the right wing rubbish coming from the goverment i tend to agree with goverment bashing. They
have lost the plot. I find this very depressing after all the good they have done. I will vote for them again come the election as i can remember what it was like listening to itn news in the early
eighties, they had a section of the news that anounced how many jobs were lost each friday night. Labour need to stop trying to out do the right all the time and think about where they came from.
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Message posted by Steve at 03:33 pm, Mon 2nd Jun 2008
Hi Lynn, Have you watched the video with Ed? He clearly says this is not about telling people what to do in there own homes. He says this is about helping and protecting people outside of the home
where there is no parental supervision. In fact I think they reccomend safe levels of alchol consuption which is a really good idea - trying to introduce a sensible European approach to drinking
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