Parks smoking ban "illiberal" writes Indy editor
Friday, October 17, 2014 at 9:27 Speaking about the proposed ban on smoking in London parks, Boris Johnson said:
"This idea in my view, as a libertarian conservative, comes down too much on the side of bossiness and nannying.
"One feature of life in London is that we are a city that allows people to get on with their lives within the law provided they are not harming anyone else.
"I think smoking is a scourge and it's right to discourage it (but) I am very sceptical at the moment" (my emphasis).
Frankly, I'm nervous about anything Boris says. We all remember him nominating the existing smoking ban for Room 101. Now he supports it.
I'm reluctant too to accept his evaluation of himself as a "libertarian conservative". After all, one of the first things he did as Mayor of London was ban alcohol on the Underground when we already had laws to deal with drunken or anti-social behaviour.
I think he's libertarian by instinct but the politician inside him kicks in. Also, like many 'conservatives', the idea of actually rolling back the power of the state is too radical so he accepts the status quo.
Nevertheless Boris's comments were welcome because they took the wind from a proposal that could have developed momentum very quickly.
Less expected were these comments by Amol Rajan, editor of the Independent. Writing in the London Evening Standard, Rajan declared: Stop witless puritans banning a puff in the park.
The curious thing is, I can't think of a single national newspaper that is editorially more anti-tobacco than the Independent (not even the Guardian) so this quite a statement.
It demonstrates the anti-smoking brigade has a way to go before they win this particular battle.
They won't give up, of course. Indeed, former Labour minister Tessa Jowell – a potential Labour candidate for Mayor of London in 2016, when Boris steps down – has already said she'll introduce the ban if she becomes Mayor.
So we have a fight on our hands.
If you want to make your feelings known I suggest you come to Forest's 35th anniversary party at Boisdale of Belgravia on Tuesday November 4. That's as good a place as any to begin the revolution!
Reader Comments (3)
What is it about the modern Labour party that makes the likes of Jowell believe that they can arrogantly ignore the opinions of those they claim to represent? Is it stupidity, or an unshakeable belief in their own superiority as a tiny clique within an increasingly fragmented society that has so little time for them? Perhaps it is the fact that they can get away with their illiberal puritanism because there is no political opposition to creeping authoritarianism worthy of the name.
When will the Govt.wake up to these anti lifestyle choices.ban the bloody car and HGVs if they are so concerned about the children.what a set of Zeros.pychopathic ward comes to mind.On about Frosties now.God they need a life
Smokers now need to stand up and be counted and state firmly that they will not obey these silly rules even if it puts them outside the law.