Campaign against raising off-sales purchase age given four-figure sum
By Paul Hutcheon, Investigations Editor

A student campaign launched to oppose the Scottish government's bid to raise the off-sales purchase age to 21 is being secretly funded by the wine and spirit industry.

The Coalition Against Raising the Drinking Age in Scotland (Cardas), formed by students across the country, accepted a four-figure sum for printing costs.

It can also be revealed that Maclay, Murray and Spens, the legal company that has been critical of plans to oppose the setting of a minimum price for alcohol, has a major supermarket on its books.

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill earlier this year published his plans for a crackdown on anti-social behaviour by targeting alcohol misuse.

Central to the government's policy document was a proposal to raise the legal age at which anyone could buy alcohol in off-licences to 21.

But the plan looks to be doomed after it was condemned by the three opposition parties at Holyrood as well as student leaders.

The main student body leading the charge against the off-sales policy is Cardas, set up in April. However, it has since emerged that Cardas is being bankrolled by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), a body that represents drinks giants such as Chivas Brothers and Diageo.

Tom French, a student in Edinburgh who heads Cardas, confirmed to the Sunday Herald that his organisation received support from the drinks industry. "Absolutely, yes, we did," he said. "We received funding for our campaign materials."

Cardas's highly visible campaign included the production of 500 posters, 5000 leaflets and 500 constituency lobby cards, the invoices from which were paid by the drinks industry.

It also understood the agreement to pay the group's costs came after a meeting between Cardas and the industry body in the Scottish Parliament.

The WSTA is opposed to the government's alcohol policies on raising the drinking age as it would reduce the profits of their members.

It can also be revealed that the legal firm that has questioned the government's plan to set minimum prices for drinks has strong links to the industry.

Lawyers working for Maclay, Murray and Spens last week flagged up legal problems with the Scottish government's policy, including a claim that it may flout EU law.

However, the Scottish firm has supermarket giant Asda as one of its clients.

A spokesman for the legal company said: "Asda are still our clients."

A spokesman for the WSTA said: "We heard about Cardas and we got in contact with them. We helped pay their postage costs."

In a statement, French said: "Most of the limited resources supporting the campaign came from volunteers or member organisations, but we see no issue with - and have been entirely open about - having sought out a very small amount of financial support on the one issue we agree with the licensed trade on, simply in order to print basic campaign materials."

A spokesman for the SNP government said: "There are many different and totally legitimate interests involved in this debate . But everyone, including Cardas, should be open and upfront about their interests, and make it clear who they are funded by and who they are acting on behalf of - otherwise they are effectively a front organisation.

"Cardas appears to be funded by and acting for a section of the drinks industry, which is very questionable."