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ASH Daily News

31 October 2005

[View html version: http://www.globalink.org/nbuk]

HEADLINES

Is Blair losing his grip? Daily Mail

Blair and rebellion in the ranks: The Sunday Times

Smoking bans may be a case for local authorities

Politicians in Westminster dodge their own ban

France limits cigarettes that people can carry outside their home

Imperial's global march set to continue


FULL TEXT


Is Blair losing his grip? Daily Mail


While Mr Blair's attention was on other things, Cabinet Ministers John
Reid, Patricia Hewitt and Tessa Jowell were fighting each other over the
proposed smoking bans.

The result? A botch that satisfies no one, grim headlines and a growing
feeling that Mr Blair is no longer fully in control.

Daily Mail 29/10/05
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/newscomment.html?in_
article_id=366960&in_page_id=1787




Blair and rebellion in the ranks: The Sunday Times


There was public battle over the ban on smoking in pubs last week which
put two of Blair's key allies - Patricia Hewitt and Tessa Jowell -
against another John Reid.

As the health secretary at the last election Reid committed the
government to an almost total ban, exempting pubs that do not serve
food. Hewitt who took over at health planned to ban smoking in all pubs
and was supported by Jowell. Unfortunately, last week, Reid won the
day.

The squabbling has continued however with a letter from Reid explaining
his hostility to a total ban which was leaked this weekend. "I fear the
solution proposed prompts as many questions as it answers," wrote Reid
on October 18. "In short I am clear that we should not allow smokers to
damage the health of others. But neither should we stop those who wish
to smoke from doing so, particularly if it would have an adverse impact
on our military capacity."

There is more to this battle than just smoking however, as Reid has
fallen out with Jowell since she publicly backed Gordon Brown as the
choice for Blair's successor. Reid sees himself perhaps as the only
Blairite heavyweight who could challenge Brown for the leadership.

The Prime Minister's biographer argues that Blair has not lost his grip
but that what Blair is doing in genuinely bold, motivated by a self
confident desire to make unpopular by significant changes to health and
education.

The Sunday Times 30/10/05
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1849155,00.html




Smoking bans may be a case for local authorities


If the Government is not going to impose a complete ban on smoking in
enclosed public spaces, there is a case for allowing local authorities
to decide how stringent it should be in their area. It could be a
subject for local referendums.

New York City has a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, but this
does not apply to other places in New York State. Both candidates for
the Conservative leadership have said they want power to pass from
central to local government. When the Bill is in the Commons, I hope the
Conservatives will move an amendment to give local authorities
discretion on the scope of the ban. Sir Philip Goodhart, London

Letter to the Editor: The Daily Telegraph 29/10/05
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/10/29/dt
2901.xml



Politicians in Westminster dodge their own ban


The Government's laws on banning smoking will not cover the House of
Commons or the House of Lords. The eight bars in the Commons might be
among the last allowing public smoking in the UK. This is due to an
obscure historic loophole that exempts the Palace of Westminster from
health and safety laws.

MPs who favour a complete ban said that it was a farce for the lawmakers
not to be covered by the new law. Kevin Barron, Labour MP said
Parliament should "get its own house in order." Deborah Arnott, Director
ASH said it was hypocritical. "It is ludicrous and shows how ridiculous
the new laws are going to be that it doesn't cover the Palace of
Westminster. It is completely hypocritical of MPs not to ban smoking in
the Palace of Westminster. It means workers there are not being
protected while other workers are."

The Commons authorities confirmed the House would not be covered by the
laws although smoking is banned in many areas of the parliamentary
estate. However MPs are able to smoke in their offices if they want to
and technically the Palace of Westminster is not covered by the ban.

Independent on Sunday 30/10/05
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/7fa7f11e-49b2-11da-8686-0000779e2340.html




France limits cigarettes that people can carry outside their home


People in France will not be allowed to carry more than ten packets of
cigarettes outside their home under a Bill passed by parliament
yesterday.

Tobacconists have hailed this as a victory, stating that their trade is
being killed by people stocking up with cheap cigarettes from Belgium,
Spain, Luxembourg, Germany and Italy. Britons who buy large quantities
of cheap cigarettes in Belgium or Spain will also be liable to fines if
they bring them back through France.

With taxes forcing a 40 per cent price increase in two years, French
cigarettes have become the third most expensive in Europe, after Britain
and Norway.

Under EU single market rules, France has no rights to limit the flow of
tobacco products bought outside the country and it is possible that the
European Commission will legal action against the legislation.

The bill bans the transport of more than 200g of cigarettes bought for
personal use (10 packets of 20 or one carton), and the quantity that may
be stored at home will be limited to 10 cartons, or 2kg.

The Times 28/10/05
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1846565,00.html




Imperial's global march set to continue


Over the past five years Bristol-based Imperial tobacco has grown from a
UK company to a strong international company. The biggest
transformation came in 2002 with the acquisition of 90% of Reemtsma the
Germany cigarette group.

Imperial, like other tobacco companies, continues its international
ambitions to diversify away from its traditional homeland in the UK
where markets are falling. To achieve this, the company is known for its
cost saving measures which has included closing its Dublin cigarette
factory and a filter tube plant in Montreal. Imperial has also
responded to tax rises in German cigarettes by cutting the number of
cigarettes in a pack and lowering the price of a pack by 20 cents a
position demonstrating its corporate canniness.

Financial Times 31/10/05
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/7fa7f11e-49b2-11da-8686-0000779e2340.html


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