Smoking ban one year on - is Labour listening?

Thursday July 3, 2008

On July 1st, Philip Davies MP hosted a reception for Forest at the House of Commons. Pat Nurse reports.

Angry and frustrated smokers, non-smokers, pub and bar owners had the chance to tell MPs how the smoking ban has affected them one year on thanks to a reception held for Forest by a pro-choice Conservative MP.

Philip Davies gave a rousing speech to invited guests who included a former Pipesmoker of the Year, inventor Trevor Baylis OBE; Paul Keenan and Nick Hogan, two pub landlords who have been fined for allowing customers to smoke, despite the ban; and Ana Knight who has seen her dream of keeping her small London bar open evaporate with the smoking ban.

“I don’t smoke and I don’t like smoking but I don’t see why that should take away the right to choose,” Davies said. “Smoking is not a health issue in my opinion – it is a freedom issue. As long as I am in Parliament, I will speak out for smokers and choice.”

Severe

Launching a campaign to amend the smoking ban, Forest director Simon Clark said, “The comprehensive nature of the smoking ban is out of all proportion to the risk from passive smoking,” he said. “Many pubs and clubs have suffered serious economic hardship and for many smokers the social impact has been equally severe.”

Clark explained that the majority of smokers have adapted to the ban but they are still angry. “The ban is creating social exclusion, loneliness and unemployment,” he said. “It is very unfair, especially on older smokers. For some mental health sufferers the impact of the ban has been devastating.”

After the speeches, guests mingled with MPs and peers, and enjoyed a fine spread of sandwiches, cakes, strawberries, cream and champagne.

I was keen to know the Conservative’s position on the ban because they could be the next Government. Davies told me that David Cameron was not in the House at the time the ban was voted in and, if he had been, he would have voted against it. Hmmm. How convenient, I thought, but I’ll admit to being almost blinded by a small glimmer of hope.

Support

Unfortunately hope was not on the horizon when my potential constituency MP Gillian Merron popped in to see me. As the member for Lincoln, she will be asking voters for support in my village which will be swallowed up by the city in boundary changes before the next election.

Ms Merron, one of 17 MPs and five peers to attend the event , had little sympathy for smokers, but I appreciated that she took the time to listen to the other side of the argument.

She said she believed the health-hype propaganda and indeed mentioned Lincoln City FC manager Peter Jackson who was recently diagnosed with throat cancer six years after he began smoking.

She did not accept my suggestion that this is a classic case of why there needed to be more medical research into “smoking-related diseases” before making restrictions.

Why is it, I asked, that some people can smoke all their lives and have no adverse health effects, and yet others, like Peter Jackson, are unfortunately struck down in this way so soon after taking up the habit.

Enforceable

She said, “I was contacted by constituents before I voted for the ban most of whom wanted to be able to go out and enjoy clean air in pubs, bars and restaurants. I also wanted to be sure that whatever legislation was introduced, it had to be enforceable.”

I must confess to being a little confused and asked her why choice would necessitate enforcement if we had it … and in truth why did we need the law at all as the previous situation was working itself out?

Ms Merron refused to admit that it was her party, Labour, that introduced the ban. She said it was an all-party vote and therefore all parties introduced it after “the trade” as well as “ the majority of constituents” said they wanted it.

I said if she spoke to pub landlords Nick Hogan or Paul Keenan she would get a different view, but I sensed that she wasn’t interested. Other frustrated guests who approached Ms Merron with the problems they face because of the smoking ban got short shrift and were told to talk to their own MPs as she was there to see just me!

Comfort

One small crumb of comfort was that Ms Merron did promise to talk to the employment minster regarding the law which currently alows employers to advertise jobs to “non-smokers only”.

I showed her a foul hate letter received by a pro-choice campaigner from an anti-smoker but she didn’t accept that the law banning smoking in public places has made such people feel justified in abusing smokers.

After two hours in Dining Room B at the House of Commons, on what was the sunniest and hottest day of the year so far, I had a pleasant conversation with Ranald McDonald, MD of Boisdale, on the terrace where we both smoked one of my roll-ups on account of Ranald having forgotten to bring his much-loved cigars.

Then it was over the road to College Green where Friction TV was filming some of the guests for a video of the event.

Like-minded

Having found some new like-minded friends that I enjoyed being with very much, it was time to say goodbye as I had to get back for my train home.

Unfortunately, a fire alert at King’s Cross Underground meant that I couldn’t get off until Euston and then I literally ran all the way, some of it in the bus lane, as I desperately tried to avoid missing my train which I ultimately did by minutes.

Quite a bit out of breath, I must admit that my recent running at night (I jog seven miles a week), stood me in good stead, but it wasn’t quite enough to ensure I got to King’s Cross and home on time.

I had to catch a later train which was a shame because I was supposed to meet my mate for a birthday drink at a Lincoln city centre pub which was empty by the time I got there – except for a few smokers out in the back who were only too pleased to get lots of pro-choice literature from me about Forest, and the pro-choice campaign in general.

Pat Nurse is a freelance journalist