tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post7808995493063810683..comments2008-03-27T01:04:41.534-07:00Reactionary Snobnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-43191557107477195872008-03-27T01:04:00.000-07:002008-03-27T01:04:00.000-07:00James Hughes, the landlord of Utopia, who first barred Darling made a great point -he's barred Darling for his irresponsible attitude to the licensed trade, using a cheap PR stunt to suggest the Government is being tough on binge drinking. I spoke to James, and he pointed out that kids buying cheap booze from shops remains the real problem - pubs have an incentive to prevent underage and abusive drinking. Fair point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-75770448580855127942008-03-26T10:18:00.000-07:002008-03-26T10:18:00.000-07:00Why stop at Darling? It's down to collective responsbility so we should bar them all from smoking and drinking at every single pub in the land.Old-Tykenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-77129205581827746062008-03-22T15:54:00.000-07:002008-03-22T15:54:00.000-07:00I'm all for barring Darling from pubs. But what about disbarring him - his actions show him to be unfit to be a member of the bar. What is the Faculty doing about him?archie wedderspoongoogle.com.aunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-91918013660775095052008-03-20T04:29:00.000-07:002008-03-20T04:29:00.000-07:00Alex Johnstone MSP has taken up the baton with this press release:<BR/><BR/>Johnstone Urges Pub Ban For Darling<BR/><BR/>Following an Edinburgh landlords decision to ban the Chancellor of the Exchequer from his premises after a budget that was punitive for drinkers, North East Tory MSP Alex Johnstone is urging pubs across the North East to follow suit and demonstrate their condemnation of the tax hikes on alcohol.<BR/><BR/>Mr Johnstone said "The Chancellor has raised the duty on alcohol under the pretext that it is in a bid to combat binge drinking. But by even the simplest calculations, his tax hike will do nothing more than raise money for the treasury. For example, if an individual went out and drank ten pints of cider in an evening, then Mr Darling's efforts in beating the booze culture will in fact have cost the drinker just thirty pence more. That’s hardly going to make someone think twice is it?"<BR/><BR/>"As for the extra fifty nine pence that was slapped on a bottle of whisky, it has since been revealed that this might not even raise any extra cash at all. I'm sure this will give cold comfort to the many people employed in the whisky industry, especially across the North East, whose jobs were put at risk by this extra duty."<BR/><BR/>"No-one underestimates the need for action in tackling Scotland's booze culture, it is something that needs urgent attention and a holistic attitute. This budget does nothing to address this and I'm not alone in being disappointed that the government has come up with such a simplistic response."<BR/><BR/>Mr Johnstone concluded "Barring Mr Darling from licensed premises will send a clear message, that ordinary, responsible drinkers should not be seen as a soft touch for raising money to pay for previous fiscal incompetence."Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092264892200529590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-60718966015857368312008-03-18T13:06:00.000-07:002008-03-18T13:06:00.000-07:00I'm TT, and I'm still joining!<BR/><BR/>But make no mistake, if he ever raises a tax on chippies, then I will not be responsible for my actions.Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978812670312106107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-10844055243164059452008-03-18T12:13:00.000-07:002008-03-18T12:13:00.000-07:00Sorry mate, I'm teetotal. Get back to me when he ramps up the tax on gourmet coffee and dark chocolate...Larry Teabaghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08283701267147459665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-63327236995680100252008-03-18T09:56:00.000-07:002008-03-18T09:56:00.000-07:00What gets me is they drive you to drink - then up the tax !Man in a Shedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990902055642035293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-51953092359214167702008-03-18T08:15:00.000-07:002008-03-18T08:15:00.000-07:00Chapeau!<BR/><BR/>Have done so.Political Umpirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05025804183639479675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32380223.post-44907230898221811502008-03-18T08:02:00.000-07:002008-03-18T08:02:00.000-07:00Any chance we could just get him barred from politics?Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08174645670302583782noreply@blogger.com