Health secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to deliver a stronger Tobacco and Vapes Bill, accusing former prime minister Rishi Sunak of being "too weak" to push through the legislation.
In a heated Commons debate, Streeting criticised the previous government for failing to finish the bill, promising his version would be tougher and delivered swiftly.
“If it was such a priority, why did they leave the Bill unfinished?" Streeting said. "Because his party was divided on the issue and the prime minister at the time was too weak to stand up to his own right wingers who are now calling the shots in their party.”
The health secretary’s comments came after shadow health minister Ben Spencer questioned why the much-discussed bill had yet to be introduced.
Streeting assured MPs that the smoking ban legislation would return and be stronger than ever. “The smoking bill will be back, it will be stronger and, unlike the previous government, we will deliver it,” he added.
Meanwhile, a Yonder survey of 2,020 adults found that 53 per cent of respondents believe smoking should still be allowed in outdoor areas such as pub gardens, compared to 47 per cent who support a ban, excluding those who answered, "don't know."
Recent reports, citing leaked Whitehall documents, indicated that the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill may extend smoking ban to outdoor areas including beer gardens.
Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ rights group Forest, which commissioned the poll, slammed Labour’s plans, claiming the party has “no mandate” to impose such restrictions.
“It wasn’t in the Labour Party manifesto and the public only found out about it after the plan was leaked to a national newspaper,” Clark said.
“Banning smoking in beer gardens would be hugely damaging to Britain’s pubs, many of which are struggling already with 50 pubs closing every month in England and Wales in the first half of this year.”
