Sir Keir Starmer today confirmed he is considering a ban on outdoor smoking amid claims it could see Brits barred from lighting up in beer gardens or outside stadiums.
The Prime Minister told journalists in Paris he is looking at changes to smoking laws as he pointed to a ‘huge burden’ on the NHS.
According to plans seen by The Sun newspaper, the Government is set to ban smoking in some outdoor areas in a bid to improve public health.
The indoor smoking ban could be extended to cover other locations including small parks, outdoor restaurants or even shisha bars, as well as outside hospitals and football grounds.
Asked about the leaked proposals, Sir Keir said: ‘My starting point on this is to remind everybody that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking.
‘That is a preventable death, it’s a huge burden on the NHS and, of course, it is a burden on the taxpayer.
‘So, yes, we are going to take decisions in this space, more details will be revealed.
‘But this is a preventable series of deaths and we’ve got to take action to reduce the burden on the NHS and the taxpayer.’
Sir Keir Starmer today confirmed he is considering a ban on outdoor smoking as he pointed to a ‘huge burden’ on the NHS
According to leaked plans, the Government is set to ban smoking in some outdoor areas – such as beer gardens – in a bid to improve public health
The indoor smoking ban could be extended to cover other locations including small parks, outdoor restaurants or even shisha bars, as well as outside hospitals and football grounds
The leaked plans have sparked a huge backlash with concerns they could cause huge harm to the pub industry and other hospitality businesses.
Labour is also under fire over ‘nanny state’ measures with claims it is a ‘libertarian issue’ as to whether Brits decide to light up outdoors.
The PM admitted it was important to ‘get the balance right’ when asked whether new laws to reduce smoking would break his post-election pledge for politics to ‘tread more lightly’ on voters’ lives.
He said: ‘It is important to get the balance right, but everybody watching this who uses the NHS will know that it’s on its knees.
‘We have to relieve the burden and that’s why I spoke before the election about moving to a preventative model when it comes to health.
‘I want the NHS back on its feet, but I also want it fit for the next 75 years, just as we’ve had a brilliant 75 years already, and that means taking action in relation to preventable deaths.’
Reem Ibrahim, acting director of communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank, said banning outdoor smoking would be ‘another nail in the coffin for the pub industry’.
She said: ‘The Government’s own impact assessment concluded that banning smoking outdoors will lead to pub closures and job losses.
‘Pubs and other private venues should be able to determine their own outdoor smoking rules – just as they should be allowed to decide whether to play music, serve food or show football on TV.’
She added: ‘The Government should look to countries like Sweden, which has attained the lowest prevalence of smoking in the world not by implementing nanny state measures like this proposal, but by allowing adults to choose safer and healthier products.’
Tim Martin, founder of JD Wetherspoon, said the proposed smoking ban raises a ‘libertarian issue’.
He said: ‘The question is whether the Government should interfere in individual liberties where danger is involved.
‘Mountaineering is dangerous, for example. Horse riding, statistically, causes many serious injuries.
‘I don’t think it will have a big effect on our business, one way or the other, and is really a libertarian issue.’
