"THE Scottish Executive is planning a U-turn on the controversial off-licence reform law by giving the green light to 24-hour off-sales in out-of-town shopping centres.The reforms were voted through by parliament during a day of high farce last week.According to sources, the executive intends to make use of a flexibility clause in the new act which would keep the newly-agreed hours – 10am to 10pm – in place for off-licences in town centres, but could liberalise hours in premises away from high streets. Labour ministers are believed willing to relax the new laws to reduce tensions within the coalition and with the licensed trade itself. Details of precisely how they would use the flexibility clause have yet to be worked out but it is thought that, at some point before the new law comes into effect in 2008-09, it would have to be approved by parliament. Liberal Democrat ministers want to go further and plan to try to overturn the restrictions in the off-sales law passed by Labour and Tory MSPs after the coalition split on the issue."
Did they not think about this last week (or during any of the last four years)? Or are we eternally condemned to suffer policy-making on the spur of the moment - subject to the latest whims of the media or whatever the Labour Executive thinks will get them a decent headline? And how can you possibly justify allowing Tesco to sell booze before 10 am out of town, while restricting sales in town centres?
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