The Labour party has withdrawn its support for a health ministry plan to allow local councils to increase the age at which teenagers can buy alcohol, MP Lea Bouwmeester told Radio 1 on Tuesday.

The plan is one of a range of measures health minister Ab Klink wants to introduce in an effort to reduce teenage drinking.
At the moment, teenagers can drink in bars and buy beer and wine in supermarkets as soon as they turn 16. The new legislation would allow councils to increase this to 17 or 18.
Bouwmeester said the Labour party no longer supported the plan because of concerns about its legality and the fear that it might encourage alcohol tourism – whereby teenagers go to neighbouring towns in search of beer.
Alcohol poisoning
Nevertheless, Bouwmeester said the party is extremely concerned about the number of cases of alcohol poisoning involving young teenagers.
‘We have to get parents involved,’ she said. ‘Research shows children often get their first beer at the family dinner table when they are 12.’
The Netherlands’ four big cities have already indicated they back an increase in the drinking age to 18.