MP brands Tesco chief "binge-drinking godfather"

Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy (pictured) has been labelled as the “godfather of binge-drinking” in the House of Commons today (December 6). Labour MP John Grogan, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, made the comments in a debate about cheap alcohol.

The debate is expected to increase pressure on the Government to take action about supermarkets selling “below cost” alcohol.

Tesco has described the comments by the MP as being “as offensive as they are inaccurate”. A spokesman adds: “They do nothing to inform the serious debate on binge-drinking.”

It comes just weeks after Prime Minster Gordon Brown launched a review of social responsibility measures in the alcohol industry in a bid to address binge drinking. It followed a summit meeting on alcohol, where the issue pricing, promotions and supermarkets was raised.