Nicola Sturgeon quickly u-turns on claim she is open to 16-year-olds being able to drink in pubs

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Nicola Sturgeon committed a gaffe after wrongly claiming she was open to 16 year olds being able to drink alcohol in pubs.The First Minister had been asked during an interview about plans backed by MSPs to lower the age at which people can change gender from 18 to 16.The gender recognition bill has been blocked by the UK Government from becoming law, with the age threshold being a concern for critics.BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg asked Sturgeon why 16 year olds would be able to change gender, but not “buy a pint in the pub” or drive a car.She responded: “You can take a view as to whether you think what I'm about to say is right or wrong.“In Scotland right now, you can choose to get married and have a child, you can join the army.

Additional measures were amended into the [gender] legislation so that there is greater advice and support available to what would be a tiny number of people of that age group wanting to go through this process.“I think, over time, I think it is right to look at 'why can't a 16 year old drink alcohol in a pub'?.”After the clip was published on social media, Sturgeon quickly clarified her comments:“This was bad phrasing on my part - so not having a go at the BBC - but this is not what I meant.

I meant that there are reasons why you can do some things at 16 and not others. I do not favour a review of the current age rules on alcohol.”Since 2007, when the Nationalists took office, the Scottish Parliament has legislated for a series of policies designed to tackle problem drinking, such as as setting a minimum unit price for alcohol.To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.