Ministers ‘too cosy with the alcohol trade’ as doctors warn extra 250,000 lives are at risk from liver disease

A group of leading doctors will today brand ministers’ strategy for tackling Britain’s booze culture ‘inconsequential’ and blame ministers for being ‘too close’ to the drinks industry.


The liver disease specialists claim up to 250,000 extra lives could be lost in the next 20 years if the Government fails to introduce proper minimum pricing for alcohol.


Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, past president of the Royal College of Physicians; Nick Sheron, from the University of Southampton; and Chris Hawkey, of the Queen’s Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham, are launching their attack in The Lancet journal.


Booze culture: Ministers aim to tackle Britain¿s chronic booze culture by banning the sale of alcohol below cost price and increasing duty on high-strength beer
They argue that while stores such as Asda and Tesco are part of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s Responsibility Deal Board that is supposed to tackle the issue, UK drinks producers and retailers are ‘reliant on people risking their health to provide profits’.