Plain packaging and the "unconventional libertarian campaign"
Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 11:21
Simon Clark

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.

Article originally appeared on Simon Clark (http://taking-liberties.squarespace.com/).
See website for complete article licensing information.
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