Local MSP Jackie Baillie has condemned the SNP for sending mixed messages on alcohol abuse in Scotland after Tourism Minister Jim Mather urged Scots to spend more time in the pubs.

Mr Mather was on a visit with Food Minister Richard Lochhead to Pub Grub of the Year winner in Edinburgh when he stated that "Through our national food and drink policy, we want to help pubs such as this one…" This statement has come after repeated calls by the Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Jackie believes that the SNP have no hope of sorting Scotland’s problem with drink if they cannot decide on a clear message within their own party.

She said, "I find it hard to believe that we have the Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon consistently warning us of the dangers of alcohol abuse when her colleague and Tourism Minister Jim Mather is urging everyone to go to the pub.

"We have a real problem with alcohol in this country and as such significant measures are required to address it. However as we have seen from the poorly thought out minimum pricing plans and now this case of sending mixed messages to the public, the SNP are no closer to addressing the problem than when they came into power in 2007."