Good speech. And the government response, while inadequate, was at least conciliatory, with no attempt to deny that the present law is a shambles (though maybe that's not the right word here), and that councils and police who strutted round enforcing it were acting like buffoons.

It's important that people keep on at this, because while change is probabaly going to happen sooner or later, but things could be done that reduce the damage in the meantime. The main thing however is to head them away from mistakes in the changes when they come. It is only too likely that the emphasis is going to be wholly on places with drinks licences, and on people giving performances to audiences.