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24-hour drinking laws under fire 24-hour drinking laws under fire
(40 minutes later)
The late-night alcohol licences brought in under 24-hour drink laws have come under fire from council leaders. The government will not reverse 24-hour licensing laws, but will instead crack down on alcohol sales to the under-18s.
Sir Simon Milton, who speaks for councils in England and Wales, said the idea that late-night licenses would end binge-drinking had totally failed. Gordon Brown said a new "two strikes" rule for off-licences will be part of a review of the Licensing Act.
He told the BBC that late-night drinking was stretching police resources and disrupted communities. He had said he would overturn 24-hour licensing laws if necessary, but told the Mirror that was not behind violent drunken behaviour among teenagers.
The criticism comes as the government is due to give its verdict on the introduction of 24-hour drinking. But council bosses in England and Wales say late-night drinking is stretching the police and disrupting communities.
Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association, told the BBC: "The real problem about alcohol violence going later into the night is not simply to do with the clock." Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said the idea that late-night licenses would end binge-drinking had totally failed.
He told the BBC: "The real problem about alcohol violence going later into the night is not simply to do with the clock."
Stretched resourcesStretched resources
"First of all if you are a resident who's disturbed at night and it's three o'clock in the morning, your chances of getting back to sleep after that are much less," he said."First of all if you are a resident who's disturbed at night and it's three o'clock in the morning, your chances of getting back to sleep after that are much less," he said.
"But also policing resources are being stretched further into the night.""But also policing resources are being stretched further into the night."
The government is expected to publish its review of the Licensing Act, which introduced 24-hour drinking, later in the week.The government is expected to publish its review of the Licensing Act, which introduced 24-hour drinking, later in the week.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that the review will include a "two strikes and you're out" rule for off licenses caught selling alcohol to people under 18.Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that the review will include a "two strikes and you're out" rule for off licenses caught selling alcohol to people under 18.
But Mr Brown also said the Licensing Act review would not repeal 24-hour drinking. But Mr Brown also said the Licensing Act review would not repeal 24-hour drinking. He said violent drunken behaviour was being fuelled by cheap alcohol drunk on the street, bought from shops and rogue off-licences.