Plain cigarette packaging: One in four MPs who opposed measures have declared links to tobacco industry

One in four of the MPs who voted against introducing plain cigarette packaging today have declared links to tobacco industries in the past, analysis has shown.

At least seven further MPs who abstained on the vote have also accepted gifts and hospitality from tobacco firms since 2008, including Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary.

A majority of 254 voted in favour of the controversial measure, which will take affect from May next year.

But eyebrows were raised by the size of the rebellion on the Conservative benches, with a majority of Tory MPs defying the government’s position by either opposing or abstaining on the vote. A total of 181 Tory MPs failed to support the introduction of unbranded packaging, backed by David Cameron.

An analysis of the Register of Members’ Financial Interests revealed that out of the 104 Tories who voted against, 22 have received hospitality tickets from tobacco firms and another – the former Cabinet minister Ken Clarke – is a former director of British American Tobacco.

Two of the three Labour MPs who opposed the measure also have declared tickets donated by Japan Tobacco International, which owns Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut cigarettes.

The vast majority of gifts declared by the MPs were from JTI and came in the form of tickets to the Chelsea Flower show, worth up to £1,600.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) charity, welcomed the result but said the incessant lobbying from the industry on MPs was “disgraceful” and condemned the MPs who accepted the industry’s “blood money”.

“[The lobbying] definitely had an impact,” she said. “It was an overwhelming majority but they swung everything but the kitchen sink at it. The industry has been desperately trying to stop this from happening… they swamped MPs’ inboxes with this and tried to give them a sense that in the run up to the election this could make a difference and I just think it’s disgraceful that Tory MPs would take money from an industry that kills half of all lifetime smokers, that’s blood money basically.

“Don’t they have any respect for the people who are being killed by these products? They’re benefiting from profits made from other peoples’ death and disability, they're accepting hospitality out of the profits of firms who make those products that kill their constituents.”

Glyn Davies, one of the Tories who voted against, said he ended up not using the tickets to the Chelsea Flower show but decided to declare them nonetheless.

Neither the Conservatives nor Labour were willing to comment on the analysis, but Luciana Berger, Labour’s shadow public health minister, attacked Mr Cameron for not pushing through the legislation sooner.

“David Cameron has been reluctant to stand up to big tobacco firms and their lobbyists and has failed to show leadership on this issue,” she said. “In the time that has passed since Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of this over a year ago, experts say over 200,000 children would have taken up smoking.

“One child taking up smoking is one too many. Labour wants the next generation to be the first that is smoke-free. The Government must now press ahead without delay to ensure that glitzy packaging for cigarettes become a thing of the past.”

Downing Street said the prime minister was “pleased” the measure had passed and played down the significance of the rebellion. “The whole point of a free vote is that people can express their views freely,” the spokesman said.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/plain-cigarette-packaging-one-in-four-mps-who-opposed-measures-have-declared-links-to-tobacco-industry-10101973.html

Sigh!

SIGH indeed....

talk about making headlines to suit a political agenda....


you DO realise that by simple maths that therefore 3 out of four MPs who voted against it DID NOT have ties to the tobacco industry...

one perforce must therefore beleive that THEY considered the idea flawed....

what friggin nonsense.....

thats the same idiotic view as saying that those that voted FOR it did so out of some deep dark ulterior motive...

or that the "for " vote is flawed because of the number of MP's who voted for it DIDNT have an interest in the tobacco industry

but of course...we kjnow anyone who votes against the socialists ideal is a terrible creature, evil in fact and is bound to be "sixhirb" or "have unhealthy interests"

labelling...the art of politics according to the left...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/03/ireland-passes-plain-packaging-bill-cigarettes-smoking-tobacco

PS it was the Goverment that proposed it and in recent survey 65% of the public backed it and it passed. The regulations were approved in the House of Commons with a majority of 254 in a landmark free vote and will now pass to the House of Lords on Monday.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2990301/Joy-MPs-pass-cigarette-pack-law.html#ixzz3U7jK5F5N
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MPs are expected to approve the introduction of standardised packaging for cigarettes in the UK later.

If passed, it will mean from 2016 every packet will look the same except for the make and brand name, with graphic photos accompanying health warnings.

The Irish Republic passed a similar law earlier this month and Australia has had plain packaging in place since 2012.

Westminster's move follows a series of public consultations on the issue.

The government announced in 2011 it would be considering the issue and ran a consultation in 2012.

But then it appeared the government had gone cool on the plan, prompting accusations it had been influenced by the tobacco industry, before another review of the public health benefits was ordered.

That review was carried out by by paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler and concluded last year it was very likely the change would lead to a modest but important reduction in the uptake and prevalence of smoking.

More than 600 children aged 11 to 15 start to smoke every day - more than 200,000 a year. The review said if that number could be cut even by 2%, 4,000 fewer would take up the habit.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31819348

and did i say i disagreed with it???
NO

what I find ridiculous is the headline......

darknessss wrote:and did i say i disagreed with it???
NO

what I find ridiculous is the headline......

surely it just points out hey there is 1 in 4 you should not be giving a pension too
they work in big tobaccos interests not the tax payers therefore big tobacco can pay


the other side... it 1 in 4 'Admitted' the connection to tobacco industry, it never says the other 3 don't have a connection just as of yet they have not disclosed it

pffft. veya....more lefty statistics...


they are good at them when it suits....


their maths isnt so good when running the countries finances.....

darknessss wrote:pffft. veya....more lefty statistics...


they are good at them when it suits....


their maths isnt so good when running the countries finances.....

unless they are women

LW women seem much better a balancing budget than RW men or women