THE Scottish Government is likely to face a major legal challenge after it launched plans to make the country the first in Europe to impose minimum pricing for alcohol.

THE government wine cellar is stocked with alcohol worth almost £800,000, official figures revealed last night.

Interesting article in The Times this morning, expert firm on EU law 'Lovell's' have come out stating that the SNP plans to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol is "likely to introduce barriers to the free movement of alcoholic beverages contrary to European law." It's nice to see a bit of a fleshing out of the specific reasons why the SNP may come up against legal difficultie...

From the BBC: The government's top medical adviser has drawn up plans for a minimum price for alcohol which would double the cost of some drinks in England. Under the proposal from Sir Liam Donaldson, it has been reported that no drinks could be sold for less than 50 pence per unit of alcohol they contain. It would mean most bottles of wine could not be sold for less than £4.50. Ca...

Almost £500000 of taxpayers' money has been spent on wine for the official Government cellar over the past five years ministers have revealed.

First they came for the smokers, and now, as forecast it is the turn of the drinkers. The neo-Puritans that sit in power have drawn up plans for a minimum price for alcohol, which would double the costs of some drinks. The change would mean that most bottles of wine could not be sold for less than £4.50, while the prices of many "own brand" beers would double. A bottle of Hardy's Me...

Scottish government plans to raise the off-sales alcohol purchase age from 18 to 21 are set to be rejected.

Government plans to tackle Scotland's alcohol problems are expected to pass their first parliamentary hurdle later.

Here; Shopkeepers have hit out at police after they were banned from serving their customers a glass of mulled wine. Killjoys. Still the law is the law. As plod says; Area Chief Inspector David Brown said: “Preventing misuse of alcohol is a key commitment of Fife Constabulary and requires rigorous enforcement of the by-laws banning drinking and carrying

I've just noticed that our old friend Sir Liam Donaldson is up to his tricks again. As predicted, the plan for minimum pricing of alcohol units is now being eyed up for the rest of the UK as well. The government's top medical adviser has drawn up plans for a minimum price for alcohol which would double the cost of some drinks in England. For trenchant and more than usually sweary analysis, see the...