Plain packaging and the "unconventional libertarian campaign"

Love the intro to a story in today's Financial Times:

The footage resembles a music video for an anarchist punk-rock band. Policemen, warning signs, CCTV cameras and spiked fences appear in a rapid sequence of black and white shots. A thrashing guitar soundtrack begins – cue the message: “Welcome to Nanny Town”.

You have to register to read the full article (Big Tobacco campaigns on freedom) but it focuses on an "unconventional libertarian campaign" and features quotes from me, Mark Littlewood (Institute for Economic Affairs) and Deborah Arnott (ASH). Worth reading.

My only complaint is that the FT didn't mention exactly how much public money (hundreds of thousands of pounds) is being used to fund the pro-plain packaging campaign Plain Packs Protect.

See also: Libertarian groups unite against plain packaging

Above: Sleave for the 'Nanny Town' DVD that is being sent to MPs, journalists and broadcasters ahead of the plain packaging consultation.

Comments

[Jay]

Simon, the link to the article is incorrect and leads to a non-existent page on your site. I was going to post the correct link, but I'm not sure if FT.com would be happy about that...? They seem pretty adamant about how their articles should be shared.

That said, I read it, and you gotta love the chutzpah of Deb complaining about people lobbying government. That's all she's ever done! And she's moaning about other people trying to do the same. Rich. I wonder if she counts me as a third-party advocate... I don't get any money from anyone to do what I do. I do it because I'm tired of these nannies.

[Simon]

Thanks, Jay. I have changed the link to the FT's home page and removed a quote to avoid any aggro with the FT. It doesn't take long to register and you can see the article for free.

[chrisb]

I registered, read it and commented - I feel better now.