Scotland does have an issue with alcohol, but penalising distilleries that fund our economy and provide jobs is not the way forward, writes Jamie Stone MP.
The SNP leadership contest is intensifying. The candidates are torn on their own party’s policies, from the deposit return scheme, to the gender recognition act, to net zero.
Ash Regan has gone so far as to say that she would bring Alex Salmond back into the SNP. I need not say more on that, other than perhaps it’s important to note that the bookies are not putting their money on Ash.
Whilst the candidates juggle policies, I may as well throw another ball into the mix. I turn my attention to the disastrous plans to enforce a blanket ban on alcohol advertising and promotion.
My constituency is home to some of the biggest names in whisky – Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Balblair, Clynelish and Old Pulteney, to name but a few. More widely, the Highlands is home to almost 50 distilleries which attract millions of tourists yearly.
I am not the first to say that whisky is very much a part of Scotland’s character. I suppose one could find it rather ironic that a party claiming to have the final word on Scottish identity would attempt to push through plans that will cripple an industry so integral not only to our culture but also to our economy.
The whisky industry is the UK’s largest single food and drink sector, generating £3.3 billion for the UK economy. At the same time, the rate for alcohol-related deaths in Scotland is the highest in the UK.
There is a real problem here that needs addressing. This cannot and should not be understated. That being said, the plans to enforce a blanket ban on alcohol advertising are not the way to tackle this issue.
There is no evidence which proves that restricting promotion will lead to a reduction in alcohol sales or consumption. What these plans definitely will do, however, is cause significant harm to Scotland’s businesses.
A senseless advertising ban puts so much at risk
Jobs do not grow on trees in the north, and whisky distilleries provide thousands of opportunities for local people. Whisky tourism brings visitors from all corners of the earth to the most remote areas of Scotland – in 2019, two in every three trips to a Scotch whisky visitor centre were from international visitors. That means business for local hospitality, too.
Distilleries also play a huge role within the community, contributing to galas, charities, sporting events, and even facilitating the heating of homes through energy projects.
The fruitless plans to ban advertising puts all of this at risk. It’s no wonder the industry is up in arms.
If Nicola Sturgeon’s departure means a new climate of free thinking, then I hope that all three leadership candidates take a fresh look at this policy and kick it into the long grass.
Jamie Stone is the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
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