Smoking in cars with children - media battle lines are drawn
Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 6:30 Labour wants to ban smoking in cars with children.
The party has tabled an amendment to the Children and Families Bill which peers will vote on later today.
Hence I'm on BBC Breakfast at 7.40.
That's the 'good' news.
The bad news is I've had to drive to Salford which meant getting up at three o'clock.
I've also been booked to do the following radio interviews, although one or two may be rescheduled to allow for the telly:
0635 BBC Merseyside
0708 BBC Five Live
0715 BBC Humberside
0722 BBC Essex
0730 BBC Stoke
0738 BBC Berkshire
0752 BBC Shropshire
0800 BBC Manchester
0808 BBC Cumbria
0815 BBC Cambridge
0822 BBC Coventry and Warwickshire
0830 BBC Devon
0838 BBC Hereford and Worcestershire
0845 BBC London
0852 BBC Nottingham
I also recorded a soundbite for Sky News yesterday that should be broadcast as part of a news package today.
Thankfully there's a small team of us in action.
Ian Dunt, editor of politics.co.uk, is on ITV's Daybreak. Chris Snowdon is on Five Live's Morning Reports and BBC Radio Wales, and Dave Atherton is on BBC WM.
There will be more, I'm sure.
I'll keep you posted.
Update: Still in Manchester.
Also did:
0900 BBC Cornwall
0908 BBC Suffolk
0915 BBC Humberside
0922 BBC Sheffield
1030 BBC Oxford
Did BBC News Channel at 11.30.
I'm on ITV Lunchtime News at 1.30 (with Labour's Luciana Berger). Also recorded a soundbite for ITV Evening News.
Doing LBC at 3.00pm.
I believe Chris (or Ian Dunt) is doing Channel 5 News tonight.
Reader Comments (8)
Just heard you on R4's 'Today'.
Afraid I'm one of the minority of smokers who would still smoke in a car with children - there is no evidence at all that SHS is harmful and if the smoke causes discomfort I solve the problem by opening the windows to create a through draught.
Today, a ban in cars with children, tomorrow a ban in all cars (just in case a child goes into the car in the future), the next day (continued - because it's already started) bullying to refrain from smoking in the home with eventual allegations of child abuse against parents who refuse.
One more reason not to vote Labour in the next election (although I don't need any more reasons after the last reign of terror).
For anyone interested, I was on BBC Radio Tees at 9.15am this morning.
I also did at 10.10 BBC Radio Stoke
10.30 BBC Radio Warwickshire
12.20 BBC Radio Northampton
12.50 BBC Radio Leeds
Doing BBC Radio Ulster drive time at 5.30 and probably Ulster again on the Stephen Nolan show.
Go Pat!!!!
For any night owls I should be on Radio 5 Live at 10.45 tonight.
The Radio Stoke interview lasted 25 minutes and was up against 2 people.
Loved the caller to Radio Tees following Pat's piece who was convinced that it's legal for a child of five to smoke (in their own home!) - social services were probably on their way within the hour.....
Joyce,
I suspect that this misguided listener was getting confused with the age at which it is permitted to drink alcohol in the home which – incredibly – is indeed just five years old. A hangover from the days when ale, having been "treated" by brewing, was actually safer to drink than the then-available, untreated (and generally fairly bug-ridden and disgusting) water, I guess. Never been repealed or amended as far as I know, although I don’t know of very many parents who are in the habit of shoving a can of Special Brew into their five-year-olds’ hands whenever they say they’re thirsty. Mind you, with all the hoo-hah about sugary drinks these days (sugar being “the new tobacco” and all that), that might become more commonplace now!
Ssssh! Better not let the anti-alcohol brigade know!
Simon all night on LBC news on the hour and half past part of your interview was rolling news, the late night host Ollie Mann played some of your interview you did with Julie Hartley-brewer, then people started to ring in. Out of about 6 call's four were totally against this and were worried about this going further, one guy from Scotland called agreed with you and gave a great quote, civil liberties and freedom were fought for, at a drop of a hat they have gone.
Thanks, Gary. Didn't know that - I was fast asleep!