Will Rishi Sunak win his bet? In the fall – and to everyone’s surprise – the British Prime Minister launched a very ambitious policy to combat smoking. The objective: “to create a tobacco-free generation” by making its purchase illegal for anyone born from 2009. For British Health Minister Victoria Atkins, the bill could “liberate future generations from the tyranny of tobacco.” “addiction and health problems”.
This April 16, the bill passed “its first obstacle in the House of Commons”, as stated by the Daily Telegraph (conservative). Indeed, on the occasion of the first vote on this text, 383 deputies voted for the “smoking ban” and 67, against. Rishi Sunak thus “relied on Labor votes to defeat opponents from his own camp”, observes The Independent (center left).
Within the Conservative Party, on the other hand, the measure divides. Around sixty deputies from this camp voted against the text, deemed contrary to individual freedoms. At the BBC microphone, former Prime Minister Liz Truss said the measure was “anti-conservative”. During the debate in the House of Commons, she warned that “the health police” would then proceed to restrict food or alcohol, as reported Politico.
Boris Johnson also positioned himself against the text, supported by “the Winston Churchill party” – known for its cigar consumption. Other conservative elected officials express doubts about the effectiveness of such a ban. Like Jake Berry, cited by THE Time (conservative), who notes that “if prohibitions worked, no child would ever have tried cannabis.” As a reminder, this drug has been banned in the United Kingdom since 1971.
“Divisions” within the Tories
This situation shows “the depth of divisions within the conservative party”, moreover “around one of Rishi Sunak’s flagship political measures”, believes The Guardian (center left). Next up: the House of Lords, which is expected to vote for final approval in June. “The best hope of the Tories critical of this measure will be to overload [le texte] of amendments in order to slow down its adoption”, in particular on the age of the people affected by the ban, indicates the British newspaper.
“Eighteen months after obtaining his post as Prime Minister, and faced with the disappearance of his electorate, Rishi Sunak was looking for a legacy,” comments Politico. A legacy that could survive a change of Prime Minister, while Labor, whose deputies support the measure, is currently the favorite in the 2024 legislative elections.
In any case, with this bill, the United Kingdom could become one of the most offensive countries against smoking. Smoking is currently the leading cause of preventable death there, according to the British government. The latter is responsible for around 80,000 deaths per year and 1 in 4 fatal cancers in the UK. THE Public Health England further estimates that 90,000 regular smokers are between the ages of 11 and 15.