You wouldn’t believe it from reading some of the hysterical commentary in the media over the past few days, but in fact alcohol consumption in the UK fell by 3% over the past year, and is now 6% below the 2004 figure. This bears out what I have said in the past, that very often the chattering classes’ outrage about something only peaks well after the alleged “problem” has started to diminish. The report linked to also points out that the UK is only 14th in the European league of alcohol consumption, well behind both France and Germany. Given that, it is hard to see why it needs to be seen as a priority for public policy either north or south of the border.
Despite this, we still get pig-ignorant, snobbish drivel like this from the toothsome Janet Street-Porter in today’s Independent. This comment sums it up, really.
And there we were thinking that Pamela Stephenson used to make JSP look ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, mind if I link?
It's a policy priority because someone, somewhere is taking some small pleasure out of an alcoholic drink and we can't have that.
ReplyDeleteOh, and you don't really mean toothsome, do you? The idea scares me.
DP, as always, feel free. There was some comparable drivel from Ross Clark in today's Times (following on from his drivel last week about speed enforcement).
ReplyDeleteNAM, "toothsome" referred solely to her over-prominent incisors, I assure you.
JSP has a reputation for talking drivel and yet, like Julie Birchill, the media seem to think we are interested in her opinions. Talk about being out of touch with the real world.
ReplyDeleteThe anti-drink campaigns doing the rounds in my workplace miss the point.
ReplyDeleteThey contain photos of those idiots who damage themeselves (and consume my taxes) by drinking 20 units a night or 100 a week, as if this was the majority rather than the tiny minority.
On the other hand,the adverts emphasising unit content only seem to emphasise the beneficial social and mental benefits of the occasional drink.
That's not what toothsome means...
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, glad to hear the sense of humour bypass went well...
ReplyDelete