In yet another embarrassing flip-flop from Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government, plans to ban outdoor smoking in public spaces have reportedly been axed amid mounting opposition from the hospitality industry.
The proposal, which would have banned smoking in pub beer gardens, outside stadiums, and other outdoor areas, has been slammed by critics who say it’s an unnecessary assault on personal freedoms and British pub culture.
The ban faced stiff resistance, with pub and restaurant owners warning that the move could be devastating for the hospitality industry. “Freedom 1, Authoritarians 0,” some opponents are saying, as Labour’s retreat highlights a rare win for public choice over government control. But questions are now swirling: How did Labour even think such a ban was a good idea in the first place? Would Labour’s outdoor smoking ban also have forced all the UK shisha bars to close?
The Guardian reported one government insider has been calling it an “unserious policy.” Another source close to No. 10 revealed to The Sun that the plans were being quietly watered down amid pressure from both the public and within Labour’s own ranks.
The initial proposals leaked back in August sparked fury from members of the public and even some Labour MPs, some of whom warned it could alienate core supporters. One Labour MP called it “an attack on working-class culture,” a sentiment echoed by others who see pub beer gardens as a staple of British life.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting tried to defend the party’s smoking reform agenda, calling it “ambitious” and suggesting it would build upon anti-smoking legislation. Labour’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, expected to hit Parliament before Christmas, initially aimed to phase out smoking for future generations by raising the legal age for buying tobacco products. But the outdoor smoking ban proposal now appears to be scrapped, leaving the government scrambling to salvage its health policy.
The hospitality industry’s warnings have not gone unheard, with pub owners fearing that the ban could push struggling venues over the edge. After all, as some put it, banning outdoor smoking in beer gardens is “hardly the way to support our pubs.”
In the latest U-turn from Labour, questions remain as to whether the government’s approach is anything more than piecemeal policymaking. As one critic summed it up, “What a shower!”
The Independent are reporting that there is a new pressure group urging M.P’s to rejoin the EU!