'All-you-can-drink pub offers facing ban'

Pub and club promotions that encourage binge drinking will be banned within months in a government retreat from its policy of liberalising licensing laws. Licensees face fines of up to £20,000 or up to six months in jail for offers such as "All you can drink for £10" or "Free drinks for women under 25" - BBC ​

"All-you-can-drink" promotions could be banned and compulsory identity checks introduced under government proposals to crack down on binge drinking. If the plans for a mandatory code for England and Wales are approved, from April bars will also not be able thold speed-drinking competitions. Retailers or publicans in breach of the code could be fined or jailed. Home Secretary Alan Johnson said there was a "duty to act". The Tories will announce their own proposals later - The Times ​

Big tax increases on strong alcohol, a 'levy' on late-opening pubs and a ban on supermarket discount deals are unveiled by the Tories today to take back town centres from violent drunks. The party will also deliver a manifesto commitment to rip up Labour's 24-hour licensing laws which are blamed for bringing mayhem to the streets. The crackdown fires the starting gun on a General Election 'booze war' with Labour, which today announces its own blitz on 'irresponsible' drinking - Daily Mail​

TAX on late-opening pubs and clubs will be unveiled by the Tories today in a bid to end booze-fuelled mayhem in town centres. The new "late-night levy" will be slapped on all drinking venues that stay open after midnight. It will pay for more cops to target drunken yobs - The Sun​

Mandatory licensing conditions designed to call time on the "binge drinking ¬culture" in pubs and clubs across England and Wales will come into force later this year, ministers will announce today. The crackdown will include a ban on drinking games such as the "dentist's chair", where drink is poured straight into the mouths of customers, and compulsory identity checks on all customers who look under 18. But a ban on the bulk discounting of alcohol by shops and supermarkets that led to police complaints that lager is being sold more cheaply than water has been dropped from the code - The Guardian​

The floods of summer 2007 cost the country £3.2 billion, according to the Environment Agency. Cumbria in November, shows the economic impacts of flooding on every area of life from homes and farming to education and transport - The Telegraph ​