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MacAskill aims to take lead on drink



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Published Date: 10 July 2008
CONTROVERSIAL attempts to tackle Scotland's alcohol problems could lead the way globally, Kenny MacAskill, the justice minister, said yesterday.
He met his counterpart from New Zealand to discuss plans to tackle cheap drink prices and a ban on irresponsible promotions.


The full article contains 47 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

subrosa,

10/07/2008 00:27:34
Kenny MacAskill may not be the brightest light in the room but at least he takes action rather than just talk.
2

Stuart W,

10/07/2008 02:20:55
Sounds more like just talking (himself up) to me!!
3

Guga II,

Rockall 10/07/2008 03:51:54
This waste of space, Kenny MacAskill, insists on making a fool of himself. Instead of trying to push for measures which would be vetoed by the EC, why doesn't he push for the enforcement of existing, adequate, legislation?

Remember also, that this is the waste of space that doesn't want to gaol anyone under the age of eighteen, even if they are violent neds and thugs.

This waste of space is doing his best to destroy the image of the SNP with his rubbish. Wee Eck should get rid of him before he causes too much damage.
4

Itchy,

10/07/2008 06:41:12
#1 the words 'Don't just do something, stand there' apply here.

~3 is right. Salmond should bin the idiot MacAskill. He wants to launch war on cheap drink and food but not on neds.
5

yockel,

10/07/2008 07:01:30
He presumably supports Gordo's road tax increase because if we can't afford to drive we will commit fewer road traffic offences. Doh... shouldn't have given him that idea.
6

Unimpressed one,

10/07/2008 09:36:57
The best thing McAskill could do is to get rat-ersed on swally so that he's incapable of making any sensible statements on drinking policy. Oh I forgot, he's already incapable....
7

Curious Yellow,

Edinburgh 10/07/2008 09:43:09
And he's already been rat-ersed.....
8

Curious Yellow,

Edinburgh 10/07/2008 09:44:25
#1 - "...he met his counterpart from New Zealand to discuss plans...' - sounds more like he just talks rather than take action.
9

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 10/07/2008 10:55:44
MacAskill should be sectioned, he is clearly mad. But no just mad, dangerous with it. How the hell did he get to be an MSP, let alone a minister?

What idiots voted for him? Were they really too stupid to see through him?
10

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 10/07/2008 12:42:35
I must have misunderstood the headline. I thought it meant he was going to stand his hand and buy a round of cooking lagers.
11

Alberto.,

10/07/2008 13:08:50
#1....

"Kenny MacAskill may not be the brightest light in the room but at least he takes action rather than just talk.!
**************

In Politics today it seems there are 'No Bright Lights' anywhere, they are all, presumably, running on low energy bulbs (payment claimed for under 'Expenses' of course!)and by the time 'brightness arrives' it's a matter fo 'Oh! Dear me, is that the time, and they all go home!

12

Daibhidh,

Edinburgh 10/07/2008 13:40:04
Am I the only onei n Scotland who thinks cutting down on the availabilityo f cheap booze is a good thing? Are we as ac ountry so addicted to alcohol that we simply cannot face the prospect of radical measure to improve the well-being of our society?

Wake up people, alcohol abuse is a MASSIVE problem and cost Scotland millions of pounds a year and hundred of lives...we have to act tough, we can't tinker around the edges like the Tories and Labour have done for so many years...

While Kenny McAskill may not be the brightest of sparks, at least he's trying do do somehting to address the problem...

As for Neds, the Scot. Government has never said it's going to release them onto the streets of fail to arrest them...again, our prison system IS NOT WORKING, so we need a radical approach to try to reduce crime in society...banging folk up simply doesnt work, time has shown that...alternatives to sentencing, so long as they are robust and penalise the criminal, should be looked into...

Way too many Scots just can't seem to think out of the box...and what a surprise, they're almost all unionists too...
13

Auckland Arab2,

10/07/2008 14:13:40
#12 No you are not alone.

Having witnesses gangs of "youths" / teenagers all under 18 over the last week in Glasgows west end running around lawlessly disturbing the peace, all drunk or drinking, I am totally in favour of all measures to restrict / control the sale of alcohol. This problem is out of control in Scotland and actioned is urgent.

There are a silent majority of people out there who I believe will support these proposals but they also want assertive action by the police and eforcement of existing laws such as breach of the peace, drunk & disorderly, criminal damage, etc. by all who commit these offences. Teenagers should be prosecuted just as rigorously since they are the ones causing a lot of these problems.
14

Legacy,

10/07/2008 16:13:47
Putting the Price of Drink up, or stopping Promotions is absolutely NOT going to stop anti-social behaviour through drunkeness. Being drunk is not a Scottish Disease, or exclusive to Scotland, don't talk as if it is. Drinking is quite Legal for over 18s, in case it's slipped anybody's mind.
Moves are afoot to at least double the price of drink, a move which will encompass also the responsible drinkers, yes there are some left, as well as irresponsible drinkers, and under age, most of the drunks in our streets are not under age. Any future legislation is not to do with so called 'binge' drinking, or under age drinking.
Moves are afoot to drastically curtail Scotland's drinking eventually, responsible and irresponsible drinkers.
When?
When they can get away with it!



15

Stuart W,

Dundee 10/07/2008 17:16:30
#12 said:

"Way too many Scots just can't seem to think out of the box...and what a surprise, they're almost all unionists too..."

You perhaps demonstrate the central problem here - you're more worried about flag-waving and party political tribalism than the real issues.

Where I've lived for 16 years I doubt if one night has gone by without the obligatory shouting and bawling, yet despite a police station just down the street a bit I doubt if anyone has ever been brought to book for this.

So the chief constable recently left the force to go on to greater things, and what is the penalty for this inaction and neglect? A nice little £18,500 leaving gift from that bastion of democracy and accountability - the police board - with the usual cross-party consensus that everything is rosy in the garden.

Actually, I'm being slightly unfair here, because in fact one councillor did demur from the usual consensus; not about the golden handshake though, instead it was the now infamous "puppy on the postcard" incident.

Can't remember what party he belonged to, and I don't really care, but I'm sure you do Daibwhatchamacallyou.

Oh aye, and Kenny MacAskill's answer to the policing problem is to tell them all what a good job they're doing and promise them more officers, but since even this pledge turned out to be a tad less than honest he even managed to alienate police as well!!

Never mind though, a few bob on a pint and a short and the drunks will only be out six nights a week rather than seven.

Sorted!!
16

Stuart W,

10/07/2008 17:19:32
BTW I was mortified that the board rejected my post because of the use of an unsuitable word.

So I had to change "pint and a n i p" to "pint and a short"!!!
17

Schot,

10/07/2008 18:43:38
I've got personal reason to hate MacAskill, but I don't.

Without googling, can any one tell me the name of the previous justice ministers ?
18

,

10/07/2008 19:49:20
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