Background
New Labour’s ban on smoking in public places is one of the most undemocratic and draconian denials of public and personal liberty to be perpetrated by a British government. The wealthy have their shrinks, the poor their beer and cigarettes. Not everyone has a large house or estate to hold private gatherings to entertain friends. Those of us on lesser incomes regard our local pub or club as an extension of their home – somewhere to have a break from the children and daily chores. New Labour is about to kill off this tradition.
In the 2005 election no one knew they were voting for an outright ban on smoking in public places. It was not in New Labour’s manifesto but on 1st July it becomes law. Connoisseurs of fine cigars will be breaking the law if they organise a club to enjoy their luxury and ‘ordinary’ citizens and soldiers on leave from New Labour’s new wars in Iraq or Afghanistan will be denied the simple pleasure of escaping to the pub for a beer and a cigarette.
Extract from New Labour’s 2005 manifesto:
"We recognise that many people want smoke-free environments and need regulation to help them get this. We therefore intend to shift the balance significantly in their favour. We will legislate to ensure that all restaurants will be smoke-free, all pubs and bars preparing and serving food will be smoke free, and other pubs and bars will be free to choose whether to allow smoking or to be smoke-free. In membership clubs the members will be free to choose whether to allow smoking or to be smoke-free. However, whatever the general status, to protect employees, smoking at the bar will be prohibited."
This election pledge was an outright lie to the voters and the Government has no mandate whatsoever to make the ban on smoking law. New Labour is now passing new laws to enforce the individual prejudices of ministers who are abusing the powers an elected government are given. They are taking the liberty of taking away our liberty. It is social fascism by our very own home grown moral dictatorship – New Labour. What is going to be left out of New Labour's next manifesto that will become law by the back door?
If the ban goes ahead in its present form voters who believe in a tolerant and free society must consider New Labour to be unelectable. New Labour’s breakaway fringe group 'The 2020 Vision' is worried that the party is losing touch with the people and is 'sleepwalking to disaster'. But New Labour is not sleepwalking to disaster, it is hobbling to ignominy. Remember that smokers are also voters. We elect a government to run the country, not our social lives. Maybe it is time for them to leave the House!
