A FORMER minister today condemned a "wretched" pub for offering free drinks to women if they exposed their breasts to bar staff.

Labour's Denis MacShane (Rotherham) claimed the Sinners bar in Newcastle was promoting the degradation of women customers by encouraging them to go topless.

He praised Newcastle University students for their recent boycott of the city centre venue and urged ministers to encourage other students to spread the feminist message.

Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe said the pub was behaving irresponsibly, but suggested the Government had provided powers to end such advertising.

At Commons question time, Mr MacShane asked Mr Sutcliffe: "Are you aware of one of these horrible places called Sinners in Newcastle, where young University of Newcastle students went recently and saw a notice saying Whoever shows her ... the word begins with T and ends with S ... to the bar staff gets a free short. Girls only?

"Will you congratulate Newcastle University students who went and launched a boycott, a demonstration outside this wretched establishment.

"One of them said 'It promotes the degradation of women and binge drinking. I think it is demoralising'.

Will you encourage other university students to try and take that feminist message?"

Mr MacShane declared an interest in the matter, saying the young woman he quoted was his daughter.

Mr Sutcliffe told him: "Could I congratulate your daughter and the students at Newcastle University.

Clearly that is irresponsible advertising. It is not what we want to see, particularly where alcohol is concerned.

"But I believe that the roots we have set out in terms of how to deal with irresponsible advertising ... the powers are there. If we can strengthen those powers we will do."