Blair stamps authority over licensing

The government is standing firm on the Licensing Act, despite a campaign by the Daily Mail and the Conservative Party to halt the reform.

Prime Minister Tony Blair defended the new regime at Question Time in Parliament yesterday after days of negative press coverage and a Commons motion calling for a delay.

The new regime, due to begin on February 7, would not lead to more drink-related violence, said Mr Blair. "The fact is it will introduce more flexible licensing. The number of pubs or clubs that will apply for 24-hour licensing is actually very small, but there will be greater flexibility," he said.

The Daily Mail campaign, launched on January 12, has accused the government of introducing a licensing act that will bring in round-the-clock opening. It claimed most police forces supported its campaign.

However, fewer than seven days after the beginning of the campaign, cracks were beginning to appear.

Despite widespread publicity, only 30 MPs had signed up by the middle of last week to a Commons motion tabled by Conservative leader Michael Howard calling for the new regime to be delayed.

Chris Fox, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), rejected calls for the law to be postponed, despite pressure from within his own association, at a meeting of the Home Affairs Select Committee last Tuesday.

"Staggering licensing hours will be a solution if the infrastructure is there, if the premises are properly managed and people aren't being served rolling drunk and underage, then tossed out into the street," he said.

Further splits began to emerge in the Daily Mail campaign as other nationals including The Sun and the Daily Mirror took a stance supporting flexible opening.

The Sun supported the idea of staggered closing hours claiming: "Plans to allow pubs to open 24 hours seem the only solution" to dealing with the problems of drink-related disorder.

Martin O'Neill, MP for Ochill and chairman of the Trade & Industry Select Committee, said: "I don't think the government will be blown off course. The fact that the Daily Mail is against it is likely to embolden it."

As this article was posted, a spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media & Sport confirmed that the fees for the Licensing Act will be published tomorrow (Friday, January 21).

Vote!​

The licensed trade is under siege again. But the industry has been working hard to correct the misconceptions. Click here​ to find out more and to read The Publican's open letter to The Daily Mail.