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Home Secretary to 'tear up' Licensing Act

Home Secretary Theresa May has pledged to "tear up Labour's disastrous Licensing Act" in a speech to the Conservative Party conference today.

She reaffirmed the coalition government's commitment to banning below-cost sales of alcohol, although she did not give further details of how this would be achieved.

She also confirmed plans to give local people more say in licensing issues, to introduce fees for late-night policing, and to double the fines for under-age sales.

She told delegates in Birmingham: "We have to deal with the one thing that is behind more anti-social behaviour, criminality and violence than anything else - and that is alcohol.

"I was the Shadow Culture Secretary when [Labour] introduced 24-hour licensing, and I fought them every step of the way.

"It gives me no pleasure to be proved right about the consequences - but it gives me great satisfaction to have the chance to undo it."

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