THEY say nothing can stand in the way of true love – and that is certainly the case with the nation’s all-consuming passion for alcohol.

Only two weeks ago, pub-lovers descended on Westminster to protest that cut-price supermarket booze was killing the neighbourhood pub and ripping the heart of communities.

Just about every week, we are told that lager-fuelled louts roam the land, puking and pillaging and generally ruining the lives of decent folk.

Yet, the moment a health expert makes the cautious, sensible suggestion that an end to bargain-price booze might help curb these serious problems, he is howled down for threatening the British way of life.

That is exactly what happened when poor old Sir Liam Donaldson, England’s chief medical officer, proposed a 50p-per-unit minimum price – or £4.50 for a bottle of wine.

Gordon Brown and David Cameron immediately formed a bizarre alliance with off-licence owners to argue that ordinary tipplers would “suffer” if forced to pay a little more for their liquor.

Apparently, it is a fundamental human right to be able to slug back a bottle of wine for pocket money. Perhaps it is written in the Magna Carta?

Now, as a father of young children who doesn’t get out much and believes teetotalism is unnatural, I have good reason to celebrate cheap supermarket booze. But I also recognise the consequences.

It is an iron law of economics that, when the price goes up, the quantity bought goes down. Hiking the price of alcohol would cut consumption by heavy drinkers and, therefore, save lives and cut crime.

This is no attack on freedom, because no-one is suggesting banning booze – just that it should no longer be sold below the cost of production. According to Sir Liam, the average drinker would pay just £1 more per month.

The reaction may be hysterical, but Sir Liam is surely correct to predict that minimum price is an idea whose time will quickly come? Just as his proposal to ban smoking in pubs and restaurants was ridiculed, then welcomed.

In fact, just as with smoking, Scotland is going first on cut-price booze, with Wales and Northern Ireland interested – and cowardly England back in the slow lane.

Meanwhile, Mr Brown – who, remember, does not want moderate drinkers to “suffer” – is quietly hiking tax on alcohol by 2% above the rate of inflation for the next four years . . .

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WHAT did George Howarth get up to as an apprentice? Skills minister Sion Simon said the Knowsley North MP “shared a few stories with me of his days as an apprentice”, but declined to say more, even when MPs shouted: “Tell us!”