Do As We Say, Not As We Do

Man Widdicombe yesterday dished out an astute fisking of a CiF piece by the BMA's Vivienne "we have to start de-normalising alcohol" Nathanson, the title of which was rather ironic.

Alcohol is costing us dearly – we need action now

Ironic since - as some may have noticed in various comments threads of late - alcohol doesn't cost BMA members quite as dearly as others. They have their own discount wine club, you see, named after the BMA's founder no less.

The Charles Hasting Wine Club commands many a special deal on alcohol industry products which, coincidentally, is the kind of offer their spokesharridan Nathanson frowns upon for the rest of us.

There were moves to abolish this happy band of medical drinks industry afficionados back in 2008.

Britain's doctors will next month be told to limit their own drinking and even relinquish membership of their own exclusive discount wine club.

[Probal] Banerjee, a GP from Rhondda, South Wales, will also call on doctors who take advantage of the organisation's Charles Hastings wine club, which is named after its founder and offers discount deals to members, to rethink the move and "adopt sensible drinking behaviours".

He added: "The BMA does have a wine club, where we can get discounted wine. I would like to see it phased out and for members not to drink as much.

"But if we can say that as a conference we are not having alcohol at all that might go down well with the public."

I presume he was unsuccessful if the club's 2010 Scottish whisky tour is anything to go by.

6 September - A welcome Dinner this evening - Whisky Dinner, presented by Regis Whisky Mad

7 September - After breakfast we will take a journey north to the Glen Of Tranquility “Glenmorangie” for a distillery tour and a small sampling of their golden nectar.

After breakfast?

And there's more.

8 September - There will be 2 distilleries to visit, Glenfiddich before lunch at the distillery, the Speyside Cooperage where we will be able to learn the importance of the Oak Cask in whisky maturation and The Glenlivet distillery

9 September - The day will start with the visit of one of Scotland's newly reopened single malt whisky distillery, The GlenDronach. [...] a little taste of unusual whiskies will follow dinner, “the Michel Couvreur Range”.

10 September - the party will be invited to visit Dewars World of whisky.

11 September - a tour of the Scotch Whisky Heritage centre just below the castle [...] Lunch will be at your leisure and if you fancied a pie and a pint, there are many excellent traditional Scottish / Edinburgh pubs!

There the BMA are condemning government for consorting with drinks producers, while their own members are happily engaging with loads of them.

It appears that there isn't much 'de-normalising' of alcohol going on amongst the rank and file of the BMA. In fact, the only ones who do come across as abnormal are Nathanson and her fellow tax-sucking, purse-lipped, joyless bores.