British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday confirmed reports that the government is considering plans to ban smoking in outdoor spaces such as pub gardens in a patronage-style intervention.
The new left-wing Labour government said it had drawn up plans to ban smoking and e-cigarettes outdoors, including in pub gardens, outside nightclubs, shisha bars, restaurant terraces, in front of sports stadiums, children's parks and outside universities and hospitals. solar newspaper.
On Thursday, the newly appointed Prime Minister confirmed that the government was considering the plans, the BBC reported. ReportsMr Starmer said such measures were justified given the “preventable deaths” related to smoking, which he said was “crushing” the NHS and putting a heavy burden on taxpayers.
But critics warn the move will plunge Britain's pubs, already struggling with high taxes and tough regulations, into further financial crisis.
Conservative leadership candidate and former home secretary Priti Patel said: “Imposing these protective restrictions on pubs and restaurants is not only wrong, it is economically damaging – these are small businesses run by hard-working people who provide jobs across the country.”
“Labour has no principles, no economic plan and has degenerated into a policy of pandering to appease socialist supporters and deprive the British people of freedom and choice.”
“This will mean thousands more pubs closing.”
Hypnotherapist Steve Miller and Spiked magazine editor Tom Slater discuss Starmer's decision to ban smoking in public places. pic.twitter.com/TqQtV3farc
— GB News (@GBNEWS) August 29, 2024
But Reform UK leader Nigel Farage warned that the bill was likely to pass if it came to Parliament, given Labour's majority and the Conservative government's history of backing heavy-handed smoking restrictions, such as former chancellor Rishi Sunak's plans to ban smoking for anyone born after 2008 (also adopted by the new Labour government).
Speaking to GB News, Farage said: said“It probably will, and most Conservative members would support it. There is very little difference between the two parties. So this bill will pass through the House of Commons and I will probably never go to a pub again.”
“If you ban smoking in gardens and outside pubs, that will be the end of the British pub. There will be no drinking establishments. There will be restaurants disguised as pubs, but there will be no pubs.”
“Now, alcohol is next,” warned Senator Clacton.
Finland considers evicting people who smoke in their apartmentshttps://t.co/e3trxWxOdh
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 10, 2023
