Liam Byrne: ‘Hurts like hell’ to talk about father’s alcoholism

Former cabinet minister Liam Byrne has spoken for the first time about his father’s drinking problem.

The Labour politician told the Today programme that revealing his father’s alcoholism “hurts like hell”.

Mr Byrne is calling on the government to work harder to help the estimated 2.6 million children who now live with a "hazardous drinker".

He told presenter James Naughtie that the problem was getting worse and the government needed to “step up” the help given to parents with alcohol problems.