Tony Blair

Campbell: '24-hour licensing was wrong'

20-Feb-2012

Tony Blair's former spin doctor has urged David Cameron to reverse later pub openings which were introduced by the Labour Government under the Licensing Act in 2005.

First Brown, now Cameron: host grills PM

18-Feb-2011 By John Harrington

A Swindon licensee who bent the ear of Gordon Brown before the General Election has pulled off the same trick with David Cameron.

Smoking ban blamed for closure of 'Blair's club'

29-Jun-2010 By Matt Eley Matt

The smoking ban and cheap supermarket booze have been blamed for the closure of the venue where Tony Blair celebrated his election victories....

Smoking ban and cheap beer put pay to Blair's Labour Club

29-Jun-2010 By Ewan Turney

The Labour Club in Tony Blair's constituency is to close after suffering from the effects of the smoking ban and cheap supermarket beer. The Trimdon...

Market ahead of politicians

23-Apr-2010 By Gemma McKenna

Laws forcing pubco reform may not see the light of day until April 2014, according to CGA Strategy chief executive Jon Collins. He highlighted the...

Labour resists radical live music reform

06-Apr-2010 By John Harrington

Labour plans to push ahead with granting live music licence exemptions for sub-100 capacity venues post-election - resisting calls to extend it to...

'Budget date of 24 March starts countdown for 6 May election'

10-Mar-2010 By Matt Eley Matt

Labour likely go to the country on same day as local elections in England as budget date confirmed. The Treasury will announce the budget will be...

James Purnell to step down as MP

19-Feb-2010 By Hamish Champ

Former licensing minister James Purnell is to stand down as an MP at the forthcoming general election. The Stalybridge and Hyde MP oversaw the...

Brown: "I've always had doubts about 24-hour licensing

23-Oct-2009 By James Wilmore

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has admitted he has "always had doubts" about 24-hour licensing, but conceded it is working in some places. Brown, who...

Trade wary over curfew on pub hours

30-Sep-2009 By Ewan Turney

The only major reform Labour or the Tories could bring in is a curfew on pub and club hours. That's the view of licensing expert Peter Coulson in response to Gordon Brown's speech at the Labour Party Conference yesterday.

'Gordon Brown to give councils new powers on 24-hour licences'

29-Sep-2009 By James Wilmore

Gordon Brown will announce that local councils are to be given new powers to stop pubs and clubs opening for 24-hours a day. The move will be part of...

To sell or not to sell

02-Dec-2007 By Hamish Champ

Has New Labour changed its spots with the departure of Tony Blair and reverted to Old Labour under Gordon Brown? One might think so, after the...

BarTalk

11-Oct-2007

Would you have welcomed a general election this year? John Ellis Crown Inn Oakengates Shropshire No. As someone who has worked in local Government...

BarTalk

01-Aug-2007

Who do you prefer: Gordon Brown or David Cameron? Suzie Dreja Royal Oak Southampton Hampshire I'm a Conservative at heart but after the Hug a Hoody...

No boozing - just spinning

19-Jul-2007

As an ex-alcoholic, Alastair Campbell (AC) might be expected to have shown more than passing interest in the Government's licensing plans....

What the papers say - June 28, 2007

28-Jun-2007 By Eleanor Goodman

Sales of anti-smoking aids, such as nicotine patches and gum, in the UK are set to break through the £100m mark this year, says a new report. The...

BarTalk

21-Jun-2007

What would you buy Tony Blair for a leaving present? Fiona Horsby Thomas Rigby's, Liverpool Probably 200 Benson & Hedges and an ashtray! We're...

Cherie Blair helps club owner challenge Tony's smoking ban

21-Jun-2007 By Iain O'Neil

Prime Minister's wife advises nightclub owner over smoking ban challenge

Adios to a reformed puffer who never finished a pint

07-Jun-2007

As Tony Blair's 10-year tenure nears its end, Adam Edwards ponders the PM's legacy and wonders what the drinks industry will remember him for - apart...

MyShout

31-May-2007 By Stephen Oliver

Getting tough on crime really means getting creative to reach target figures says Stephen Oliver. When I was a kid, around nine or 10, me and my...

BarTalk

24-May-2007

Will Brown make a better Prime Minister than Blair? Stuart Wright Brewery Tap Peterborough Cambridgeshire Gordon Brown is not really my favourite...

The legacy of Blair

16-May-2007

Tony Blair premiership ended as it began, with a rendition of 'Things Can Only Get Better'. The Labour party used the upbeat song during its 1997...

BarTalk

10-May-2007

Will you be sorry to see Tony Blair go? Nigel Oxford Three Compasses Hornsey London No. I thought he was a really insincere person right from the...

Andrew Pring asks 'What price Blair's legacy?'

03-May-2007 By Andrew Pring

It will not be Iraq or spin, or squandered public finances that most people in our trade will remember Tony Blair for. The bungling of licensing...

Blair's red-tape pub trade legacy

03-May-2007

As Prime Minister Tony Blair prepares to step down after a decade at the top, Nigel Huddleston talks to the trade about his time in office Tony...

LETTERs

19-Apr-2007

Snifter goes star-gazing Has Snifter been gazing at stars or reading tea-leaves? I was shocked to see your back-page story (MA, 5 April 2007)...

Rebel MPs seek full ban

06-Jan-2006

The government is facing increasing pressure from its own MPs to ditch plans for a partial smoking ban and bring in a full ban.Labour is currently...

Kiss 'n' tell... Holy bat-signal... Empty vessels...

15-Dec-2005

review of 2005

Free vote on Smoking Ban Moves Closer

15-Dec-2005

The likelihood of Labour MPs being given a free vote on a total smoking ban rose this week after reports suggested members of Tony Blair's Cabinet...

Police are so out of touch

10-Nov-2005

Sometimes it looks as though the police are not so keen on best relations with the trade If you've been following the terrorist bill and Tony Blair's...

Host linked to PM's wife's first kiss

06-Oct-2005

by Ewan Turney A Punch licensee has found himself at the wrong end of a kiss and tell story - by the Prime Minister's wife. Steve Smerdon, of the...

Why it's time for action against the Daily Mail...

08-Sep-2005

The Daily Mail has reignited its campaign against the new licensing regime with a series of damning articles over the summer. Much to the chagrin of...

Famous Eaters - Tony Blair

01-Jun-2005

Continuing our series on the rich and famous who enjoy their food - Tony Blair NAME: Tony Charles Lynton Blair. AGE: 51. FAVOURITE FOOD: Includes...

Legal advice: Disorder fantasies

26-May-2005

On-the-spot fines for barstaff serving drunk customers can have serious implications for a pub's future licence.By Niall McCann of thePublican.com's...

ADZs and smoking ban key issues for Labour

14-Apr-2005

Alcohol disorder zones (ADZs) and a smoking ban have been set out as key manifesto commitments by the Labour Party.The party said that it believes...

Report leads to government rift on upward-only rents

02-Mar-2005

Licensees campaigning for an end to upward-only rent reviews could be left high-and-dry by a government rift in the wake of a long awaited report on...

Labour election pledge will push up pint price'

17-Feb-2005

by Ewan Turney The price of a pint will rise if Tony Blair delivers on his pre-election promise to further increase the national minimum wage,...

Blair stamps authority over licensing

20-Jan-2005

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...

Government has lost the agenda, says MP

20-Jan-2005

The Labour MP who led the Westminster inquiry into the pub companies believes that the government has lost the agenda over licensing.Martin O'Neill,...

Pub closures won't stop teen boozers

16-Dec-2004

Trade warns PM that 24-hour closure orders for problem pubs are irrelevant by Ewan Turney Trade leaders have warned Tony Blair that tough new...

ID cards bill set for introduction

15-Apr-2004

A draft bill for compulsory ID cards could be out in the next four weeks, Home Secretary David Blunkett has said. Earlier this month Tony Blair gave...

Blair gives his backingto ID card fast-track

08-Apr-2004

by John Harrington Tony Blair has given his personal backing to quicker introduction of national ID cards to reduce the threat from international...

TRADE scorn for BIG CONVERSATION

04-Dec-2003

by Claire Hu The Government has been accused of sending out conflicting messages on key issues affecting the trade, such as paid-for policing and...

Q&A: Al Murray, Pub Landlord

03-Dec-2003

Al Murray, Pub Landlord, took time out from his UK tour to talk exclusively to The Publican about Blair, beer and balls.The Prime Minister, Tony...

Cabinet row stalls ID cards

13-Nov-2003

Compulsory national ID cards will be introduced ­ but not until 2013, David Blunkett has told the House of Commons. Blunkett said: "An ID card is...

What the Sunday papers said

13-Oct-2003

The ObserverDowning Street is set to dump controversial plans to force everyone in Britain to have an identity card after new evidence revealed that...

What the Sunday papers said

03-Feb-2003

The Mail on SundayTHE MAIL picks up on thePublican.com's story last Friday that Spirit Group and Laurel Pub Company are both bidding for the Tom...

Tony Blair confirms licensing will be in Queen's Speech

07-Nov-2002

The Prime Minister has confirmed that plans to relax the licensing laws will be included in the Queen's Speech next week (November 13). Tony Blair...

Room at the inn

31-Oct-2002

Keith Knowles, boss of Interpub, is combining beds and beer with the company's Belushi's and St Christopher's Inns concept. By Mark Stretton.It seems...

Tied tenants endangered

10-Oct-2002

I have recently been advised by my supplier, Scottish Courage, that they will be raising the price of Draught Kronenbourg and John Smith's Smooth for...