I'm not sure if many other people picked up on this, but there was a point when there was almost a massive crackdown on alcohol in the UK.

It wasnt in 1909. It was in 2013.

If it was successful alcohol would have been treater closer to how cigarettes are treated (so not really a ban and the Britain wouldn't have gone teetotal, but its a good title).

It was back in around March of this year when the there was a call for all advertising of alcohol to be banned, and the products have a mimimum price to push up prices.

This wasnt some fringe Muslim group asking for implementation of Shariah law, but the Alcohol Health alliance that called for this and it was based on sound medical advice, the type you would normally never see in the media as it was not something that is politically acceptable.

Saying that there have been previous calls for similar stuff, for instance by the well respected British Medical Association in 2009 when it released a 9 point plan including minimum pricing and a ban on sales.

However, this time it wasn't a lone voice, the matter was debated in parliament where there was actual serious discussion and possibly of it becoming law.

The change in legislation was backed by government, but after some pushback and possibly a cabinet revolt, David Cameron lost his nerve, caved in and the opportunity was lost.

David Cameron chickened out of making things to such a degree that a few days later when the budget was published, instead of minimum pricing being introduced or the taxation increasing, the tax on alcohol was actually reduced.

Quite a U turn.