MSP makes last-ditch alcohol pricing plea

LOTHIANS SNP MSP and former Wester Hailes GP Ian McKee today issued a final plea to opposition politicians to vote for minimum pricing of alcohol at Holyrood tomorrow.

He said European Union directives prohibited Labour's approach of taxing drinks according to their strength, leaving the SNP's proposed 45p per unit minimum price as the only alternative.

He said: "The EU directives are pretty clear, and Labour have now absolutely nothing to fall back on. It's minimum pricing or nothing."

The alcohol bill reaches its final stage in the Scottish Parliament tomorrow afternoon.

Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MSPs are expected to vote against minimum pricing.

But Dr McKee said: "Scotland's alcohol problem is costing every adult 900 a year - we simply cannot abdicate responsibility for this issue."