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Rishi Sunak's smoking and vaping ban clears first Commons hurdle despite lack of Tory support

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date17 April 2024
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
Under this legislation, anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, would be prohibited from purchasing tobacco products, setting the stage for a "smoke-free" generation. While the bill doesn't penalise existing smokers, it targets the prevention of smoking-related harm, which remains a leading cause of preventable diseases and deaths in the UK

In a rare move, Conservative MPs were given a free vote on the bill, meaning they could not be punished for voting against. This freedom saw prominent figures, including Business Secretary and potential future leadership contender Kemi Badenoch, openly oppose the bill.

The notable dissent among senior Conservatives underscores the unrest with Sunak's leadership as the Tories face challenging poll numbers with a general election on the horizon. "The principle of equality under the law is a fundamental one. It underpins many of my personal beliefs," Badenoch said on X before casting her vote.

She added: "We should not treat legally competent adults differently in this way, where people born a day apart will have permanently different rights." Another potential contender to run for the Tory leadership, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, also came out against the policy.

He wrote on X: "I believe in personal freedom. Let's educate more and ban less. I also believe in the principle of equality under the law. A phased ban of smoking would be an affront to that. I will therefore vote against the Tobacco and Vapes Bill."

They were joined by Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who said she hoped MPs could "make amendments which will make it law which will be more likely to actually deter young smokers without removing freedom of choice for adults".

These interventions from serving ministers follow criticism from senior Tories, including former prime minister Liz Truss, who voiced concerns regarding freedom of personal choice. Truss labelled the ban a "virtue-signalling piece of legislation" driven by...

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