LABOUR'S prospective parliamentary candidate for Northavon Patricia Gardener has called on MP Steve Webb to condemn a colleague for "irresponsibly pushing a Lib Dem plan that would escalate teenage binge drinking," after it emerged that the Lib Dems wanted to lower the legal drinking age to 16.

Speaking after Lib Dem front bench spokesman Don Foster claimed in the House of Commons last week that his party's policy of legalising the sale of alcohol to 16-year-olds would reduce binge-drinking, Mrs Gardener said: "At a time when communities and the police are working hard to tackle binge drinking, it's beyond belief that a member of Charles Kennedy's front bench team has announced that the Lib Dems would allow 16 year olds to drink in pubs and buy alcohol in the shops.

"I am well aware of the struggles by retailers and licencees in Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury and the villages to contain young people's drinking as it is. "Only a fool could believe the Lib Dems' claim that lowering the age at which teenagers can get served in pubs and off-licenses would lower binge-drinking, not cause it to soar.

"This is more Lib Dem lunacy on law and order - what kind of message does this send out to communities blighted by binge drinking?

"If the Lib Dems are ever to end their appalling record of being soft on crime and anti-social behaviour, they must publicly renounce Don Foster's remarks and make clear that they will have no truck with his party's policy to let minors buy alcohol with impunity."

Mrs Gardener added:"Time and time again, the Liberal Democrats have opposed Labour's measures to get tough on the anti-social behaviour that can blight the lives of hard working families in Northavon.

"This latest Lib Dem madness on teenage drinking shows that the Lib Dems would be soft on crime and tough on hard working families.

"It will be interesting to know what Steve Webb's thoughts are on this."

But Mr Webb told the Gazette: "I don't think the age for buying alcohol should be lowered and that 18 is the right age.

"We do have serious problems with binge drinking and I won't be supporting this motion."