BBC: Government "formally" abandons plain packaging
Friday, July 12, 2013 at 4:30 Apologies for the lack of posts this past week.
We're working on a new project, to be revealed in a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile the BBC has this morning confirmed that Standardised plain cigarette packaging plans shelved.
The government is to postpone its plans to introduce standardised plain packaging for cigarettes in the UK.
Ministers are expected to tell MPs that a decision on the policy has been formally delayed so that more time can be spent examining how similar plans have worked in Australia.
(I know this because I was woken at four o'clock this morning by someone – who shall remain nameless – who wanted to share the good news.)
A small point, perhaps, but I'm not aware the Government ever had "plans to introduce standardised plain packaging in the UK". Not officially, anyway.
My understanding, because ministers and civil servants repeated it ad nauseum, is that ministers (if not the Department of Health) always had an "open mind" on the subject.
The Government conducted a public consultation on the issue and rival campaigns produced the following result – an estimated 220,000 responses in favour, 500,000 against.
According to the BBC, however:
Campaigners said they were bitterly disappointed with the decision.
Actually, some campaigners are delighted but we don't seem to exist.
Instead the BBC reports that the consultation was extended by a month to allow more people to respond "after strong public interest in the issue".
Strong public interest! How about: Huge protest against excessive regulation and the nanny state or Unprecedented response" reveals strength of feeling:
My early morning caller suggested that the BBC report is a bit disingenuous. You decide.
Update: The BBC has updated its report to include a quote from my colleague Angela Harbutt.
They have also changed "Campaigners said they were bitterly disappointed" to "Health campaigners said they were bitterly disappointed".
A small point, perhaps, but an important one.
Our full response is on the Hands Off Our Packs website:
Update: BBC (Five Live Breakfast and the Today programme) are all over the story.
Great interview with the IEA's Mark Littlewood on Five Live.
James Naughtie on Radio Four shamelessly playing the UKIP card whilst ignoring the response to the public consultation.
Antis bleating on Twitter.
Conservative MP (and GP) Sarah Wollaston tweets:
R.I.P public health. A day of shame for this government; the only winners big tobacco, big alcohol and big undertakers
Stephen Williams MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health, tweets:
Terrible decision by govt to stop plans for standard cigarette packs. Victory for tobacco lobby, defeat for public health.
Let's hope neither are promoted to junior health minister in the forthcoming reshuffle!
Update: The Guardian also has the story – with a quote by Forest – here: UK plans for plain cigarette packaging to be shelved. You can comment.
Reader Comments (6)
R4's Today has just done an interview including CRUK giving the impression (unchallenged, natch) that it struggles along on a shoestring (in contrast to an incredibly well-funded tobacco industry 'lobby'). CRUK's funding last year came to £500M.
When the people speak the government has a duty to listen!
"ministers are expected to tell MPs that a decision on the policy has been formally delayed so that more time can be spent examining how similar plans have worked in Australia".
What utter nonsense. What has a public consultation that only affects the British people got to do with what happens in Australia? If you remember the nasty Labour Party brought in a unilateral smoking ban without ever consulting the general public or indeed anyone in Australia. In fact though, our government at the time, did request responses from retailers – however their feelings on this issue were airbrushed out of the 700 page report that the government produced.
You will notice that the BBC in their report would never dream of giving us the figures in favour and against this policy. There was a two to one against this policy being brought in, that’s why there was no reference to so called 'Plain Packaging' in the Queen’s speech.
After all, how could you go against the democratic process which has without equivocation seen the British people vote against so called 'Plain Packaging'?
This nasty little policy will never find it's way on to the statute book...not if democracy is to mean anything.
Since when are `Health Campaigners' responsible for my well being and adult decision making ? It is exactly the same with the childish traffic light system on food packaging. Quote BBC ` `Health Campaigners welcome the move by the Govt.' Unquote.
Who are these mysterious `Health Campaigners' who I have so much to thank for looking after me as I am incapable of thought.
I'm taking part in a discussion on Five Live at 10.05am.
As for the Big Pharma stooges Wollaston and Williams, let's hope both get booted out by the electorate in 2015. We need more intellectual representatives not single minded and arrogant bigots.
One only has to read the comments in the Guardian to realise that there is no hope for humanity and it will be stupidity and not Global warming that does for us as a species.
On the other hand the dear old Daily Xenophobe comments on the story were a seldom breath of common sense and common humanity...two attributes that one doesn't normally find in the DM - ( I fully expect Monday's headline to read SMOKERS STEAL SIZZLING SATURDAY FROM HARDWORKING BRITISH FAMILIES...)
But thank you FOREST, thank you Simon and thank you Angela. Tis a small (and no doubt temporary) 'win' but a win is a win .
Why would Ms Woolaston consider this a victory for 'Big Alcohol'?
I thought only the tinfoil hat brigade ever thought that measures like this would ever go near alcohol.