Home Secretary

Petition for Home Secretary to redefine ‘unskilled’

24-Feb-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

A London restaurant has started a petition calling on Home Secretary Priti Patel to revoke her categorisation of the term ‘unskilled’ when it comes to workers from outside the UK, and oppose the changes to visa requirements for EU workers.

Labour set to support licensing shake-up

15-Dec-2010 By James Wilmore

Shadow Home Secretary Ed Balls has indicated Labour will support police and councils getting "extra powers" as part of the licensing regime shake-up....

Tory aide joins off-trade lobby group

20-Jan-2010 By John Harrington

Laura Davies, former special adviser to Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, replaces Stephen Hogg at the WSTA.

'Ending 24-hour drinking and annual cap on immigrants will be top priorities for the Tories'

25-Nov-2009 By James Wilmore

Ending Labour's controversial licensing laws and imposing a cap on immigration will be top priorities for an incoming Tory government, the...

Brown's clampdown is nothing new, admits Home Office

29-Sep-2009 By James Wilmore

The Home Office has admitted that powers already exist within the Licensing Act to restrict and review 24-hour licences, despite Gordon Brown...

Licensees urged to attend mandatory code meetings

24-Jun-2009 By James Wilmore

A series of 10 regional consultation events will take place next month covering the government's controversial mandatory code of practice - and...

ALMR: Code will affect responsible pubs

13-May-2009 By James Wilmore

The Association of Licensed Multilpe Retailers (ALMR) has attacked Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for planning to put more pubs "on the altar of red...

Kept in dark on conditions

27-Feb-2009 By Peter Coulson

the Government has chopped and changed its stance on the power to impose conditions on premises licences by the Home Secretary and local licensing authorities, says Peter Coulson.

Top MP: ban on below-cost selling vital

05-Dec-2008 By James Wilmore

Alcohol-related problems will only be solved if the government takes action against supermarkets selling alcohol below-cost, a senior Labour MP has...

Tories: tax is a "blunt instrument" on alcohol

26-Feb-2008 By James Wilmore

The Tories have come out against the idea of increasing tax on alcohol and said the government should look again at the Licensing Act.Speaking on the...

Shoot and then ask questions

14-Feb-2008

It is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy when the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith cites the levels of prosecutions for underage sale as a reason why...

'Don't tell us that higher tax on drink is healthy'

07-Feb-2008

Fancy a drink? Get to the bar quickly because the price of a round is set to rocket. Around the taxpayer-subsidised watering Palace of Westminster,...

McMullen's hits out at Home Office response

12-Apr-2007

McMullen's HAS hit out at the Home Office, claiming its approach to pubs is both "counter-productive" and "misguided". Peter Furness-Smith, the...

Snifter sniffs out real story

05-Apr-2007

Three years ago, we ran an April Fool's Day piece saying that David Blunkett, who was Home Secretary at the time, was considering introducing a...

Blears and Reid support Pubwatch

16-Nov-2006 By John Harrington john.harrington@william-reed.co.u

Home Secretary John Reid and Labour Party chairwoman Hazel Blears have vowed to speak up in support of Pubwatch groups. They pledged support when...

Coaker calls for partnership with industry

16-Nov-2006

Home office minister Vernon Coaker has urged a partnership approach to tackling underage sales and alcohol related disorder.Speaking at The Publican...

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker to speak at Publican Conference

09-Nov-2006 By Caroline Nodder

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker completes the line-up for this year's Publican Conference on November 16.The minister will open the conference by...

A round with The Publican

27-Apr-2006

What made the news in The Publican this week 10 years ago, five years ago and last year.1996The government faces demands for fairer licensing laws in...

£12,000 boost for Pubwatch

02-Jun-2005

National Pubwatch, the organisation that supports local pubwatch schemes, has received a huge financial boost after three brewers and the BII...

Charles Clarke

26-May-2005

Secretary of State at the Home Office (new entry) Tessa Jowell Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport (new entry) Home Office Secretary...

Labour Party photo shoot angers host

21-Apr-2005

A Gloucestershire host was left fuming after Home Secretary Charles Clarke used her pub car park for an election photo shoot without asking...

Door staff to blame for SIA delays'

17-Mar-2005 By Ewan Turney

Home Office minister Hazel Blears has backed the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in its war of words with the trade

Tougher immigration rules may lead to lack of workers

10-Feb-2005

Trade leaders are warning that the hospitality industry could be faced with a deficit of 10,000 workers because of the Home Secretary's tough new...

All to play for on smoking ban

30-Sep-2004

Health secretary John Reid has signalled an all-out ban on smoking in pubs could be averted. Speaking at the Labour Party conference Mr Reid said:...

Under 18s crackdown promised

23-Sep-2004

by John Harrington The Home Office has promised tough action against irresponsible pub and club operators following the "horrific" results of the...

Blunkett caught out on '10,000' capacity outlets claim

27-May-2004

After further investigation into an interview David Blunkett gave this month, The Publican can reveal his rather alarming views on pub...

Compulsory ID cards closer

27-Apr-2004

Compulsory ID cards look set to be in place by 2013 after David Blunkett unveiled formal plans yesterday.Two years after it was first discussed, the...

Blunkett plans ID card fast-track

25-Mar-2004

Compulsory ID cards could be introduced more quickly if Home Secretary David Blunkett succeeds in fast-tracking the scheme through Parliament. But...

John Grogan's view

18-Mar-2004

The MP for Selby says Richard Caborn is the trade's best ally When David Blunkett became Home Secretary in 2001, he got rid of some peripheral...

Licensing Act delayed again?

04-Mar-2004

Speculation is growing that the new Licensing Act could be delayed until after the next election in 2005.Rumours are circulating that it could be...

Tuppen calls on Blunkett to axe pay-for-policing plan

12-Feb-2004

Ted Tuppen, chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), has called on Home Secretary David Blunkett to abandon his plans to force pubs...

ID cards plan set to be dumped

13-Oct-2003

Plans for compulsory ID cards look likely to be dropped following a revolt in the Cabinet.The scheme, which is the brainchild of Home Secretary David...

Row over ID cards delays launch of government scheme

30-Jul-2003

A row between the Prime Minister and Home Secretary David Blunkett has delayed the launch of the government's ID card scheme.The hold-up leaves the...

Blunkett has gone soft on U18 drinkers'

29-May-2003

Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin has claimed David Blunkett has given up the battle against under-age drinking. Figures indicate a huge drop in...

Migrant workers ruling welcomed

10-Oct-2002

by The PMA Team The British Hospitality Association has welcomed the decision by Home Secretary David Blunkett that the catering industry will be...

Concern for licensees over potential re-classification of ecstasy

03-Sep-2002

Licensees could find it more difficult to keep drugs off their premises if Home Secretary David Blunkett listens to calls to re-classify ecstasy.The...

Home Office refuses to issue guidance on drugs

18-Jul-2002

The Home Office has said it has no plans to issue guidance for licensees following the recent relaxation of laws on cannabis use.Despite calls from...

Trade attacks plans to re-classify cannabis

11-Jul-2002

Licensees have been left under a heavy cloud of confusion after David Blunkett confirmed his plans to re-classify cannabis. The home secretary...

Trade supports ID card u-turn

08-Feb-2002

The trade has welcomed an apparent u-turn by ministers over the introduction of national ID cards.Former Home Secretary Jack Straw said last year...

Government u-turn over introduction of ID cards

04-Oct-2001

The Government has backed away from the introduction of identity cards, despite widespread public support for their introduction in the wake of the...