Ann-Widdecombe on binge drinking.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17813245

http://www.telegraph....named-and-shamed.html

Hate her or love her, do you think on this subject our Annie has got a point?

/// “If the police carried out the occasional big blitz in the city centres on a Friday night, drafting in extra manpower and pursuing every single person who was drunk in A&E or incapable on the streets, then people going out specifically to get drunk would risk finding themselves in court on the Monday with their names and photographs in the papers. ///

[d9f1c7]

well she'd know she's 15+ pinter I'd say!

[joggerjayne]

Much better use of the Police time than say, err ...

... catching criminals and preventing crime?

[mccfluff]

they wouldn't get their name and photograph in the paper. not unless they had done something worth writing about. the most they would achieve is the dizzying heights of having their name in the court listings printed

[Davethedog]

Agree with Fluffy. I think it just shows the naivety of a cloistered politician.

I don't dislike Ms Widdecombe, but I think most would say she has led a fairly sheltered life.

One of the problems I have with all politicians, is that they have no real idea what its like out and about on the streets. Photos in the papers for drunkeness, when was it such, if ever.

I think her idea has merit but fining people £1,000 for a first offence would be far more effective.

[Zeuhl]

The idea of a zero tolerance 'blitz' on anti-social behaviour certainly appeals.

Much better than the frequent approach in this country of not addressing the real issue but taking an easier route that usually (conveniently) involves the majority of us putting more money in the government's coffers

e.g. binge drinking is a problem so let's increase the tax on all drink

At least AW's ideas focus on the actual problem. Personally I have no issue with anyone drinking more than is good for them - it is their business as long as they don't bother anyone else.

I do have a problem with anti-social behaviour; drunk or sober.

So yes. If that's what we don't like, and there are already laws prohibiting it, let's blitz it!

[anotheoldgit]

Davethedog

/// is that they have no real idea what its like out and about on the streets. ///

in this case Dave, Ms Widdecombe actually went out with a group of girls, so I think she knows what she is talking about.

/// For the programme, Miss Widdecombe, 64, went out with a group of 20-something women who spent the evening downing vodka interspersed with “shots” of other spirits. ///

[sp1814]

Such a thoroughy silly idea.

You can go out specifically to get drunk, and have a great time, grab a kebab on the way home and fall asleep watching Predator on Channel 5.

Who is to say whether someone's injuries in A&E are caused by drink? What about the lads who are drunk, but then get set upon by a group through no fault of their own?

I realised that Ms Widdicombe's grip on reality was slipping when she voted against Civil Partnership ceremonies because (and I am NOT making this up) it would exclude elderly brothers and sisters from entering a partnership to save being clobbered by death duties.

I am aslo worried that because of her performance on Stricty Come Dancing, she's fast acquiring the status of 'national treasure', and that honour should be reserved for Dawn French, Joanna Lumley, Trevor McDonald, Alan Bennett, Floella Benjamin and the dsmes (Mirren, Dench and Atkins).

[sandyRoe]

If she spent the evening knocking back shots of voddie she may not remember much of what she saw.

[ummmm]

I like Anne but I disagree with her on this point.

[EDDIE51]

simply being drunk is not an offence , or are the govenment going to introduce a new crime just to lock up a few boozers ? This looks like criminalising drinking alcohol , remember what happened when the USA tried it ?

[andy-hughes]

I don't love or hate Ms Widdecombe, i can take her or leave her.

I do think she is wasting her considerable intellect byt indulging in this purient nonsense.

Anne Widdicombe on Binge Drinking - file alongside Margaret Thatcher on The Miners, Boris Johnson on Totty-U-Like, Somon Cowell on Delusional Fools ... it's lazy predictable knee-jerk' entertainment' and she, and we, deserve a whole lot better than this.

This holier-than-thou it-wasn't-like-this-in-my-day bring-back-the-birch rubbish is trotted out at regular intervals so we can point and laugh, instead of spending some time and money in educating young people properly that alcohol poisoning is not an essential ingredient of a good night out.

So no, I don't think 'our Annie' (she may be yours, she is certainly not mine!) has a valid point, and if she did, it would be lost beneath the hoots of derision from the little-England Tory arcmchair moralisers to whom she appeals.

If ms. Widdicombe wishes to play both ends of a pantomime horse for the entertainment of the hard-of-thinking, then fine, but the notion that she is in any way making a valid meaningful point, or contributing to the cessation of an increasing social problem is rather like Ms. Widdicombe's appearences on that dance show - horrible, wrong, and not over quickly enough.

[sp1814]

And another thing...why just women?

I would lay a bet that in terms of physical damage to property, fights, GBH, vandalism etc - it's men who constitute the bigger threat when drunk.

And what's this nonsense about:

"Miss Widdecombe observed a typical British night out for a BBC Radio 5 Live documentary about attitudes to alcohol. She described seeing women “stagger along pavements in 6in heels, scantily clad, falling off the kerbs, to hail taxis in which they are sick”.

Since when was that 'a typical night out'???

I've spent the past three decades out and about clubbing and bar-hopping all over the country and I've seen fights in Leeds and Liverpool, girls attempting to walk in 6" heels in Edinburgh and lads absolutely smashed in Manchester...but equally, I've seen thousands of youngsters go out, have too much to drink and calling it a night.

What Ms. Widdecombe is...is a snob. And what she doesn't like is working class bad taste. Get thee to the Kings Road on a Saturday night and watch the 'trustafarians' drink to excess, snort up half of Columbia before jumping into their cars - why isn't THAT a social problem?

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

You have given away the real reason for your dislike of her.

/// I realised that Ms Widdicombe's grip on reality was slipping when she voted against Civil Partnership ceremonies ///

[anotheoldgit]

EDDIE51

/// simply being drunk is not an offence ///

It is if you are driving, being in charge of an infant, or just being drunk and disorderly.

And I think we have all too often seen the latter committed on our streets on any weekend.



No but being

[AB Editor]

"What Ms. Widdecombe is...is a snob. And what she doesn't like is working class bad taste. Get thee to the Kings Road on a Saturday night and watch the 'trustafarians' drink to excess, snort up half of Columbia before jumping into their cars - why isn't THAT a social problem?"

Did she rule those people out?

I don't think her desired approach deals with the core issue - it just deals with the symptoms. I'm sure there's a better way of getting at the roots without increase unit pricing however.

[mccfluff]

if someone wants to drink they will do, outting the price up won;t stop that.

In general its not the people in pubs out for a good time who cause the problems.

[anotheoldgit]

AB Editor

Who am I to correct you Ed, but the BBC Radio 5 programme was concentrating on the increasing problem of women binge drinking.

I am sure that if you contact the BBC they may at a future date also address the problem of the 'trustafarians' drinking to excess, snorting up half of Columbia, before jumping into their cars.

Who would you wish to be the investigating politician on that programme George Galloway. :0)

[ummmm]

It's not just alcohol consumption. It's the people consuming it.

[AB Editor]

AOG, I was quoting SP, and asking if he believed she ruled them out of the problem.

[ladybirder]

I don't think Widdie's a snob at all. She's an easy target for the snipers but she's a jolly good sport and I like her.
And I, and many thousands like me, didn't need educating that it's not a good idea to go out and get alcohol poisoning on a night out. A bit of common sense and respect for oneself should be enough.
Anti social drunken behaviour on our streets is a nuisance and ties up our police when they should be doing other things. Anythings worth a try.