Licensing reforms blamed for 'surge in yobs on our streets'

The City of London Corporation today blamed Labour's relaxing of licensing laws for unleashing a surge of yobbish behaviour on London streets.

As Cabinet ministers unveiled their latest strategy to fight youth binge drinking, the Corporation accused the Government itself of exacerbating Britain's alcohol problem.

The Corporation raised its concerns over the impact of pubs, bars and clubs being allowed to stay open later. It said high levels of anti-social behaviour are blighting public areas in the City.

"The worrying increase in this behaviour can, at least in part, be attributed to changes in licensing laws which have prompted a more active night-time economy in the Square Mile," City Remembrancer Paul Double told the all-party Commons communities committee.

"Much of the anti-social behaviour, especially urination, is a result of drunken or irresponsible behaviour following the growth in the night-time economy."

Mr Double spoke out as the Government announced plans to target middle-class parents who let their children drink at home. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has asked chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson to set limits for families on how much alcohol under-18s should be allowed. Guidelines will set out what is responsible behaviour for parents.

Families will also be targeted with tough new health warnings on the risks faced by children who drink heavily.

Ed Balls, secretary of state for children schools and families, said: "We need to fundamentally influence young people's behaviour and attitudes towards alcohol.

"This will involve talking to young people themselves but, crucially, parents tell us they want better, clearer information as they bring up their children."

In countries such as France and Spain it is socially acceptable for parents to introduce children to alcohol by allowing them to drink at family mealtimes.

But research shows the rise in Britain's binge-drinking epidemic is partly fuelled by children obtaining alcohol from home with or without the consent of parents.

The Government measures published today in the Youth Alcohol Action plan also include a new scheme called Challenge 21, barring pubs, off-licences and supermarkets from selling alcohol to anyone who looks underage and cannot prove they are over 21.

Public sanitation experts also warned that defiling of streets had reached levels not seen since Victorian times.

In written evidence to an inquiry into public facilities, campaign group the British Toilet Association told MPs: "Britain led the way in public toilet provision in Victorian times, when concerns for public hygiene standards and street fouling were unacceptably high.

"The full circle has been achieved and we should be as concerned today, at the start of the 21st Century, as people were 160-plus years ago, about the levels of hygiene in public places."