Not sure if it's been mentioned in here (haven't really been keeping tabs on the thread after results came in) but I'm really not looking forward to the minimum alcohol pricing which will be inevitably turning up soon.
I'm 50/50 on it.
I rarely drink anyway these days and the social problems with crime, social stagnation and poverty are at times all interlinked.
You can't tackle our perverse relationship with drink without doing something a bit more radical, it isn't the whole answer either.
That's why labour sounded so hollow, hard on knife crime ("knife crime that costs £bns per day" errr!) but soft on alcohol related policy descisions, next to none.
The electorate are a bit more grown up, and while they all don't think its a good idea what costs us more? Police, Court Prison and the NHS costs in taxation spending or a high cost for a product that causes those problems?
That is the generalisation of course, and I respect the rights of those who drink responsibly but we cannot allow these levels of alcohol abuse in certain demographics to continue unabated.
Then you add on the 'tesco tax'; and get the money back off the retailer. So it's not like we're handing it away..
It was a hard one for the other parties to comment on because they need to look responsible but I think it's a big mistake introducing it and isn't going to tackle any of the social ills that alcohol causes in Scotland.
Regular OcUK booze trips to Carlisle anyone?
LOL
I don't think it will get hideously expensive by any stretch for moderate drinkers (although that would depend on how much you drink as a moderate drinker
), but being genuine how would you deal with the issue?
Indeed, never really taken it further than that though.
Pop your head into a branch meeting one day. If you don't get post from them about it, moan at them even if you cba going.