No, it couldn't. The only people responsible for binge drinking are the binge drinkers. In the bad old days, people used to get in double or even treble rounds at 10:50, knowing the pubs stopped serving at 11. That doesn't happen any more. But even without pubs, there have always been licensed clubs open until 2AM and beyond. And even without those there are off-licences.

The only people who can be "blamed" are the drinkers. If this really is something that bothers you, look into why people drink in the first place, and then why they do it to excess.

Tom.

For the benefit of anyone reading this, a discussion continued about this via message rather than post. Wisty said:

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So what do you think happens now ? Does the teenager drinker at 10.00pm say to his mates "this pub doesn't close until 1.00am so lets moderate and space our drinking.....No, they just throw more down their necks.
My complaint with this Government is that everything that goes wrong is someone else's fault.
High petrol costs are not their fault despite the fact that 70p of every gallon is tax.
The benefit society we live in is not their fault despite the fact that it is easier now than every before to scrounge off the state.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the terrorists fault....not the fact that we armed the Taliban in the first place.
How many examples do you want me to quote?
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SeasideMan replied:
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My problem with people is that these days it's all too often someone else's fault: personal responsibility has gone out of the window. If you go out and buy a bottle of vodka and drink it that's your decision and nobody else is to blame for it.

And if you think the Iraq war was anything to do with terrorism, you've forgotten what happened.
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Wisty replied:
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I haven't forgotten what happened with Irag.
They were supposed to be making Weapons of Mass Destruction that could reach London in 45 minutes. Like most other things this Government tell us its lies with a capital L. When no weapons were discovered it became Regime Change.
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And I now reply again:

We've gone a little off track now. When the government starts making drinking compulsory, then it will become their responsibility.

Tom.

I also blame the drinkers.
Everyone is responsible for their own actions.
I'm a bit concerned regarding the call to ban the sale of alcohol to people under 21 though.
21?
So people who can vote, marry and fight in wars can't buy a beer?
That doesn't sound right to me.