Today sees the launch of the Department of Health’s consultation on plain packaging for tobacco. It is said to have the full support of the Andrew Lansley, unlike the last such nannying measure to come out of Whitehall – minimum pricing of alcohol. It was left to Theresa May to make a cack-handed public order defence for minimum pricing after the Health Secretary reportedly refused to lead the campaign. Health sources say the discrepancy is down to what is considered acceptable levels – Lansley believes there to be no acceptable level of smoking where as there are acceptable levels of boozing, but Guido isn’t convinced by the logic. Both measures are patronising nanny-statism of the worst kind and should be opposed.