The Governmen Plain Cigarettes And Alcohol you Turn
Plans for plain cigarette packaging are postponed, amid reports that minimum pricing for alcohol will be scrapped
The Government is facing anger from health campaigners after plans for plain packaging for cigarettes were put on ice while it emerged minimum pricing of alcohol will be killed off altogether.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said a decision on whether to go ahead with plain packaging in England would be postponed until ministers had had a chance to assess the impact of a similar scheme introduced last year in Australia.
Meanwhile, it was reported Home Secretary Theresa May will formally confirm next week – before MPs finally break for the summer – that the Government has dropped plans for minimum pricing of alcohol in England.
Downing Street denied the Tories’ elections strategist Lynton Crosby – who has been linked to lobbying by the tobacco industry – was responsible for the delay to plain packaging.
However, there was widespread suspicion that he was behind the decision – even among some Tory MPs.
Mr Crosby, who was brought in last year after masterminding Boris Johnson’s re-election as London mayor, has reportedly advised David Cameron to “get the barnacles off the boat” and concentrate on the core concerns of voters such as the economy.
Conservative backbencher Sarah Wollaston, a GP who has campaigned for both plain packaging and minimum pricing, said the result would be more lives ruined for the sake of political expediency.
“RIP public health. A day of shame for this government; the only winners big tobacco, big alcohol and big undertakers,” she wrote on her Twitter feed.
“What a tragic waste of an opportunity. ‘Barnacles scraped off the boat’ AKA more lives ruined for political expediency.”
A Downing St spokesman insisted Mr Crosby had no involvement in the decision on plain packaging although he acknowledged that he did take part in meetings in Number 10.
“He is not employed by the Government. He is employed by the Conservative Party as an adviser to the Conservative Party. He doesn’t have a pass for Downing Street. He doesn’t have a desk at Downing Street. Does he attend meetings at 10 Downing Street? Yes, he does,” the spokesman said.
In the Commons, Public Health Minister Anna Soubry insisted the Government’s position on plain packaging had not changed, but she refused to to be drawn on how long ministers would wait before deciding whether to press ahead.
For Labour, shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said it was a “disgraceful U-turn” by ministers.
“We have to ask, what happened? We suspect Lynton Crosby happened.”
There was anger among health campaigners, with British Lung Foundation chief executive Dr Penny Woods describing the decision as “bewildering”.
British Heart Foundation chief executive Simon Gillespie said: “This was the chance for a real show of strength, courage and confidence but instead the Government has capitulated in the face of industry pressure.
“Critical legislation that will help stop young people getting hooked on a lethal habit has now been left hanging in the balance. The longer we have to wait for it, the more harm cigarettes will do to the next generation.”
However, the move was welcomed by many Conservative MPs who oppose what they regard as a “nanny state” approach to public health.
While ministers are expected to announce a decision to scrap plans for minimum alcohol pricing before recess, the Prime Minister’s spokesman would not be drawn.
He said “the position remains the same” on alcohol pricing, adding: “The Prime Minister has set out his views in depth, we’ve had a consultation and we will respond in due course.”
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