Police chief calls for “slowdown” in licensing reform
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, has today urged the Government to “slow down” its plans to relax licensing laws.
Sir John, who steps down at the end of the month, said there had been an epidemic of binge drinking and loutish behaviour in the last few years, with assaults on police up by 40 per cent.
He told the Evening Standard that police were having difficulty finding cell space for those arrested, and warned that staffing levels would need to be reinforced in the early hours if 24-hour drinking came in.
On Wednesday Home Secretary Charles Clarke told The Times newspaper that Ministers were looking at imposing a cash levy on pubs and clubs to meet police demands for more resources.
Responding to growing concern among police and the medical profession, he said: “If you take the drink issue, I am not in favour of letting the market run and seeing what happens. I am in favour of state intervention and to see how we can get to a better way of living.”
Today’s comments by Sir John would appear to reinforce the need for such measures. In an interview with the Standard he said: “If 24-hour drinking came in, we would need to reinforce staffing levels in the early hours. That would mean switching resources from somewhere else. I – and a majority of my colleagues – agree this is a policy we need to have another look at.”
Conservative Shadow Home Secretary David Davis echoed Sir John’s calls. He said: “Sir John Stevens is representing the concerns of thousands of police officers, doctors and members of the public up and down the country. Binge-drinking and alcohol-related crime have spiralled out of control under Labour and pressing ahead with plans to introduce 24-hour drinking will only make things worse.
“We think the Government should delay plans to introduce 24-hour licensing until binge drinking is under control. With many of our towns and cities already no-go areas on Friday and Saturday nights, pressing ahead with plans to allow pubs and clubs to open 24 hours a day would be irresponsible.”
From February 7 pubs and clubs can apply for extended licences that will come into effect from November.
The Government argues that liberalisation of the drinking laws will reduce trouble caused by people spilling out of pubs and clubs at the same time.
