Stephen Williams: ASH to the rescue!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 11:54 Well, that's embarrassing.
Poor old Stephen Williams MP has been getting such a battering on Liberal Democrat Voice - where he wrote an article about plain packaging - he's had to call in the cavalry.
Riding to his rescue are his buddies Phil Rimmer and Deborah Arnott, business manager and CEO of ASH respectively.
If you'd like to reply to their comments click here.
Update: Stephen himself has now added a comment to his own article "thanking everyone" for their comments.
Laughably he seeks to "remind you of the huge lobbying campaign that the tobacco industry has mounted to defeat this proposal [plain packaging]".
Needless to say he doesn't mention the far bigger lobbying campaign carried out by the tobacco control industry, much of which was funded by the state (information that had to be dug out of them through a series of FOI requests).
Unable to win the argument by producing evidence that plain packaging will actually stop teenagers smoking, Williams resorts to more traditional smear tactics:
Lastly, those who cite responses to the government’s consultation will I’m sure be aware that it’s widely known that there is evidence that the tobacco industry basically tried to ‘stuff the ballot box’ ...
Stuff the ballot box? I suppose he's referring to this: Forest, the Department of Health and a Freedom of Information request.
He omits (of course) to mention this example of skulduggery: FOI reveals arrogance of ASH.
But then he would, wouldn't he?
Reader Comments (3)
Did anyone else see this comment...
Personally, I look forward to the day when THE NATION accounts for 99%, the other 1% being fortnightly parental visits to the crèche, or to the residential school, or to the youth camps. Parents are a really bad influence on children, and there is ample evidence from studies indicating links between childhood deprivation and parental incompetence. You only have to look around you and see the fat, greedy, wheezing, asthmatic, ignorant kids to know that this is true.
A real proper nazi and I mean that sincerely.
I saw the comment. I'm still not sure whether she was joking.
Does anyone know if this motion was accepted by the Limp Dumps? I have heard no mention of it but plenty about the plummeting popularity of the party that is possibly even more Smokerphobic and self obsessed than Labour.