Tomorrow sees the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill as Streeting pushes through a generational smoking ban and powers to ban cigarettes in public places like parks. Along with a crackdown on their safer alternative – vapes…
Recent polling by Yonder Consulting, commissioned by Smokers’ Rights group Forest, has found the public are against the generational smoking ban by a margin of almost two-to-one. 60% of Brits say that if people are allowed to drive a car, join the army, purchase alcohol, and vote at 18, they should also be allowed to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products. That’s compared to 31% who don’t. Not that Starmer has much of a problem with being unpopular…
Forest director Simon Clark says “creeping prohibition will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and into the hands of criminal gangs and illicit traders.” There goes £9 billion in tax revenue…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”
