Scottish nannies

The Scottish parliament plans to bring in a law to end cheap supermarket booze deals and ban under 21s from buying their hooch at off-licences. They will still be able to drink in pubs and clubs once they reach 18. The law is expected to be introduced in England if it proves “successful”.

My first gasp of horror is at the civil liberties side of things, the treating of adults like children. Then there’s the old arguments about being old enough to die and kill in pointless, tragic wars in the East yet not old enough to be trusted with a four-pack of John Smith’s bitter.

The one good thing about this law is that it will tempt a load of spotty 18-year-olds into pubs. While at first they will no doubt sit with their feet on the tables, demanding Nintendo, Irn-Bru and Coco-Pops, there could be benefits to getting the kids out of the car-parks and playgrounds and into the bars.

Hopefully, their older comrades will be able to educate them in arts of adult boozing to the betterment of Scottish nationhood.