Cabinet chaos leads to smoking u-turn

A clash between cabinet ministers has forced the health secretary to an embarrassing u-turn on the UK smoking ban proposals.

Health secretary Patricia Hewitt was expected to announce plans for a near-total ban in all public spaces, which would have included all pubs and restaurants.

The strict proposals included the introduction of legislation requiring pubs and restaurants to create sealed smoking rooms if they wished to allow smoking on site – regardless of whether they served food or not.

However, the plans for a blanket ban were scuppered after they were criticised by Hewitt’s predecessor John Reid, now the defence secretary, who argued that a complete ban would go against proposals in Labour’s election manifesto.

The ensuing cabinet row eventually lead to the original proposals being re-adopted, which means that the smoking ban will now exclude members clubs and pubs which do not serve food – despite the approach being labelled as unworkable following consultation with industry leaders.

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) reacted with dismay to the government’s back-tracking

John McNamara, BII’s chief executive, said: “Food should not preclude a premises from offering a smoking area and the new laws will present a difficult choice for licensees and customers.”

“We also strongly oppose the proposal that members clubs are exempt from the ban. If the basis for banning smoking is to protect staff working in licensed premises, those working in members’ clubs deserve the same protection.

“Allowing smoking in members’ clubs would lead to a migration of drinkers from local pubs into the members’ clubs, which could essentially become smoking clubs.

"This loss of custom to small licensed premises could drive them out of business."

The British Medical Association (BMA) called the decision a wasted opportunity.

James Johnson, BMA chair, said: “The decision is astonishing and a bitter disappointment – I cannot believe that after consulting for three months, the government has decided not to listen to conclusive evidence.”

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) also criticised the decision, saying that a smoking ban based on food was not the answer.

"Our research show that this food-bsed scheme will simply drive many pubs away from serving food – and continue to expose employees to smoke in those pubs.

"Our estimates show that 20 per cent of pubs will abandon food when the new legislation comes into force."

A spokesperson for Spirit Group said: “This began as an attempt to find a solution acceptable to everybody and it has ended as a farce supported by hardly anybody.”

Giles Thorley, chief executive of Punch Taverns, however, said he felt the planned regulations were “workable as well as preserving some degree of choice.”

Speaking on BBC Radio this morning, Hewitt attempted to defend her climbdown.

“The bill that I am introducing today is going to ban smoking in every office, every shop, every restaurant, every public transport, virtually every enclosed public space and work space,” she said.