Le Beast Wines has secured access to march on Number 10 through its Pound a Bottle campaign and will be presenting views from consumers that duty is too high. OLN editor Rosie Davenport will be joining them to present details of the number of text votes we have received for our Tax: Enough is Enough campaign on Tuesday. OLN’s campaign was launched to give retailers…

The ruling SNP intended to tag the measure on to the existing 2005 Licensing Act, but Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have come together to demand new primary legislation and a full debate in the country’s Parliament. The alliance was formed at a meeting of party chief whips to decide the Parliamentary timetable. The move means minimum pricing is unlikely to be introduced before…

ade sufficiently clear on the packaging. Portman chief executive David Poley said brand owner, Sunderland-based Alcohol Brands, had gone too far with its brightly-coloured packaging. “The industry needs to guard against accusations that it is targeting under-18s,” he said. “The names, garish colours, emphasis on calorie content and childish lettering on the labels combine to make this marketing unacceptable. “These features could turn these drinks…

In an article in today’s Scotsman newspaper, Beadles attacks plans for minimum pricing and proposed powers for local authorities to raise the legal purchasing age to 21. He writes: “Even now, nine months since suggestions of minimum pricing first emerged in Scotland, the Government has not published details of how it intends to satisfy competition law, and specifically the UK’s obligations under the European Competition…

The Scotch Whisky Association has warned that the plans – outlined by the Scottish government today – are likely to breach EU and international trade law, and could undermine the industry’s £3 billion a year export trade. The Scottish government wants to use minimum pricing to fight alcohol abuse in the country. Chief executive Gavin Hewitt said: “We agree that attitudes to alcohol in Scotland need…

The ruling SNP has said it will aim to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol to stop drink being sold for “pocket-money prices”. It will also introduce local flexibility to ban off-sales to under-21s, a measure it was thought would be unlikely to win national approval from MSPs. Local chief constables will be able to request such a measure from individual licensing boards…

The ruling SNP executive is due to outline a new Criminal Justice & Licensing Bill this week but some reports suggest they will try to push through the measures as an amendment to the 2005 Licensing Act, to head off opposition. Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Baker said: “Labour has never shied away from taking action on alcohol but if these reports are to be…