This week, we handed in an open letter and the petition, alongside breast cancer survivors Dr Liz O’Riordan and Nikki Bednall, and the Alcohol Health Alliance.

The letter signed by more than 25 organisations and health experts – and the petition – called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his government to introduce a National Alcohol Strategy to Prevent Cancer, as part of our Cancer Prevention Action Week (CPAW) activity.

Disappointingly, the UK Government has confirmed it will not include mandatory comprehensive restrictions on alcohol marketing in the 10-Year Health Plan.

The government’s proposed action on alcohol advertising to bring it in line with junk food is not enough. Alcohol causes around 17,000 cancer cases every year in the UK, yet only 1 in 14 people are aware of the link.

Even more concerning, this news gives the alcohol industry an opportunity to mobilise and further weaken or delay the mandatory measures we need to reduce alcohol harm – including clear labelling, pricing reforms and reduced marketing exposure.

Together we need to mobilise further and show our full support for bold and comprehensive government action on alcohol. As such, we would be grateful if you could consider writing to Keir Starmer.

Write to the Prime Minister

You can email him via the Downing Street contact form: https://contact.no10.gov.uk/
Or write to:
The Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Key messages to include:

• Express your concern that alcohol marketing restrictions have been dropped
• Urge the Government to reconsider and take bold, evidence-based action to reduce alcohol harm
• Call on the PM to deliver a long-overdue National Alcohol Strategy
• Ask the Government to uphold its Health Mission and work across departments to prioritise prevention

Thank you for standing with us. With your voice and support, we can make it clear that public health must be protected – and that cancer prevention cannot be sidelined.