Drinking in moderation is 'good' claims Drinkers' Voice chair

Byron Davies, previously a Conservative MP for Gower, a vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and a former Metropolitan police officer has taken the new role with an impetus to add balance to the debate on alcohol.

Drinkers' Voice was set up to help give the consumer a voice in the debate over drinking. It has argued that the anti-alcohol lobby has dominated the issue for too long and it is time to balance the debate.

Davies was a leading campaigner for the pub and alcohol sector while an MP. In June 2017, he argued that the new drinking guidelines that were issued by the Government were “misleading” and could deny millions of people from the benefit of enjoying the social benefit of pubs.

'Have a beer and talk'

“I am not embarrassed to say that I think pubs are a great asset to communities. It gets people socially involved and, in rural places, it is of great benefit to people to be able to get out and have a beer and talk to each other,” he said.  

“It is about enjoying a drink in company, it brings people together and helps people make and build relationships. Pubs have a big part to play in this, especially in rural communities.”

He said that in the new role he would be presenting a balanced message on the benefits of alcohol consumption and would fight the “distorted” information. 

"The freedom to enjoy drink in moderation, without fear of being criticised by anti-alcohol campaigners is, I believe, a fundamental right of all responsible citizens," he said.

“My argument will be that alcohol consumption is a real positive for those wanting to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

He is a big supporter of the pub and brewing sector and recognises that it provides an important role in employment in the UK.

'Integral part of British life'

“At the end of the day, alcohol is an integral part of the British way of life and it is part of the big industry that brings tourism to the UK,” he added.

As a former police officer, he has experience in dealing with issues related to pubs and alcohol. 

“I spent 32 years as a police officer in London and I can say with some confidence that moderate drinking does no harm to anybody,” he said.   

“It is that small percentage of people that make a fool of themselves.”