SELBY MP John Grogan has called for the Government to defeat the "forces of conservatism" to push through legislation to allow 24-hour drinking as quickly as possible.

He spoke out after Tourism Minister Dr Kim Howells told a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference that he was planning to publish a draft Bill next Spring.

Mr Grogan told the meeting the Government should consult widely and quickly, win the battle for public support and finally get legislation on the statute books. He has set a target of a final version of the Bill, which would allow pubs and nightclubs to remain open around the clock, being included in the Queen's Speech next Autumn.

It was originally hoped it would be included in the Queen's Speech which was made shortly after the June General Election.

There was widespread disappointment when ministers said they could not find time for the Bill in the current legislative programme - even though they had played heavily on it in the election campaign. Mr Grogan said: "It will really be a big step to get the draft Bill out and give the different groups a chance to comment.

"But there is a battle to be won in the next 18 months and we cannot take anything for granted.

"Two weeks ago (Liberal Democrat) leader Charles Kennedy broke his party's links with the Labour Party.

"It is now time for us to get rid of this terrible piece of Liberal

legislation which Lloyd George introduced in the First World War."

Mr Grogan said the arguments in favour of a change in the law were compelling.

But he added: "People have got to be convinced and it will be quite a complex Bill to get through.

"We have got to reassure residents' groups, and people like Alcohol Concern, that it could encourage more sensible drinking. "People would go out later or drink slower, which has to be a good thing for their health.

"It would lead to less crime and get rid of those arguments we know so well about people drinking too much in the last few hours."

Allan Bell, home affairs minister for the Isle of Man, told the meeting that flexible opening hours had been introduced on the island earlier this year.

He said it had led to a reduction in crime and there were more police on the streets because their time was not being taken up dealing with drunks.

Mr Bell said most pubs had opted to only remain open for an extra one or two hours, while nightclubs had extended their hours from 2am to 3.30am.

Dr Howells said the Government was still fully committed to the legislation. He called for landlords, the drinks industry and hoteliers to work together to ease the passage of the Bill.

Updated: 10:51 Tuesday, October 02, 2001