Westminster drinkers put on notice as UK backs booze ban

The most striking result of the day saw the UK side with a dry Palace of Westminster. Should alcohol be banned from the Palace of Westminster? passed comfortably, with the floor’s most-respected No voice conceding the sharpest joke of the debate: that some parliamentarians need to be half pissed to sit through discussions.

The verdicts

On the economy the country was in no mood for half-measures. Should the UK cut welfare and foreign aid to address its national debt? won clearly after the chamber heard only the Yes case, while Should the UK budget deficit be forbidden, except cases of unseen, national catastrophe? scraped through on the blunt promise that debt servicing costs billions that could otherwise cut taxes for workers.

The country also chose to squeeze fossil-fuel profits with Should the UK introduce permanent stronger taxes on fossil fuel profits?, a narrow Yes that prompted the memorable losing line that Labour cannot see a golden goose without strangling it.

Elsewhere voters proved more cautious. Are the rich inherently evil? was rejected overwhelmingly, less a defence of wealth than a refusal of the question’s moral shortcut. When granting citizenship, should the UK enforce to drop all other citizenships by a new citizen? fell to a clear No, with the floor noting dual nationality at least offers a better chance of deporting unwanted people.

On governance the UK split almost down the middle. Is Direct Democracy the answer to modern democracies' problems? saw No edge ahead after the sharpest Yes voice admitted it was only part of an answer. Similarly, Should the UK hold a referendum on rejoining the EU if polls show majority support? lost to wariness of repetition and the tart warning against voting till they get it right.

Voting continues today.

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