PM and Boris jump on the banned wagon
Sunday, February 9, 2014 at 16:08 So, when it became clear that a majority of MPs were going to support a ban on smoking in cars carrying children, what did Dave and Boris do?
They jumped on the fast-moving bandwagon.
Writing in today's Telegraph the Mayor of London wrote, 'Banning smoking in cars is bizarre, intrusive – and right'.
Needless to say Boris's words are everywhere, at home and abroad, just as he intended:
Boris Johnson backs bid to ban smoking in cars(ITV News)
Boris backs ban on smoking with child in car (Sky News)
London Mayor Boris backs smoking ban in cars (AFP)
To the best of my knowledge Boris has never commented on this subject before. To call it opportunistic is an understatement.
You might have thought David Cameron would see an opportunity to demonstrate some backbone and stick to his belief that legislation was a step too far.
Not a bit of it.
Within hours the PM had thrown the towel in and joined the dream team of Luciana Berger, Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and virtually every Labour MP:
David Cameron backs smoking ban n cars carrying children (Guardian)
You couldn't make it up.
Meanwhile, like King Canute, I continue to drag myself from one London studio to another ...
Reader Comments (10)
Boris Johnson, Well Well well, in April of 2008 he told pub & bar owners he opposed the smoking ban and said it was wrong and the story appeared in the Sun newspaper, 17.04.08 the headlines were, I'll HOLD POLL ON CIG BAN, and now supports the above, love or hate him I'm afraid he's been a "useless mayor" in many ways. David Cameron, sorry to go of topic, the floods, he has no BACKBONE. After watching Sky news & seeing him being interviewed and asked about the hopeless "Head of the Environment Agency", should he be removed, "clearly yes" but he ducked the question. Likewise he'd do the same on the above, Well put Simon, demonstrate some backbone,. What the house of commons should be discussing today, is what help is in place to help the flood victims.
The only way to show 'em is to vote against them. There must be consequences for this oppressive betrayal. They hate UKIP so vote UKIP.
The LiblabCon is clearly one party now and so there is only one valid opposition. Stop supporting these bullies and send them a message they won't forget in May and in 2015. I know I will.
Boris Johnson on smoking bans - The internet doesn't lie.
http://www.hotwebclips.com/Home/Show/02KwDMM1STI
I can read your anger and frustration in every word of this, Simon - and it is 100% shared.
How have we come to such a place where this bunch of narcissistic nonentities are allowed to believe that ther place in life is to 'rule' over us? Where did it all go wrong?
When can we take the gloves off?
Look at the (hundreds of) comments under Boris Nobody's article.
Only 2 people agreed with him- only two! (Although those 2 trolls accounted for an awful lot of comments).
If the political class is so incapable of reading public opinion, or worse, so arrogant as to just ignore it, then it is time for tumbrils and knitting lessons!
Baa, baa,…baaaa…does that sound like sheep to you?
Band wagon jumper Boris says “All the studies I have seen say the same”, really, so Bobo has actually read some studies which have convinced him about the wisdom of this move towards outlawing smoking in cars with children? Perhaps he can name these studies or point towards where they can be accessed.
He also says "This is one of those measures like the alcohol ban on London’s buses, which has helped bring down bus crime 40 per cent in the past six years: it is largely enforced by the natural social pressure of disapproval backed by law”.
Yeah right, just like the natural social pressure has done for mobile phones.
Of course further consultations would have to be gone through before any government can actually bring this into law. If Labour get in at the next election, consultation isn’t going to amount to a hill of beans – this eventually will crawl its way onto the statute book however shabby the evidence.
Didn’t Cameron once believe this was a step too far to go into someone’s private vehicle? Sadly, there have been no real conviction politicians since Maggie.
I hope you will publish the names of the rats that have voted for this ban Simon.
Goodbye Boris.
Pat, I totally agree with you.
Well, you'd expect something like this from "Mr I am on TV and I am a celebrity", wouldn't you? I have never thought much of him and neither do London taxi drivers any more either...apparently!
For purposes of pure personal perverse pleasure, from now on I have decided to call him "Joris Bohnson"... After all, that's back-to- front and pretty much reflects his true nature.
"So I apologise to all my libertarian chums: I am afraid on this one I am firmly with the bossyboots brigade. Ban smoking with children in the car. It is a disgusting thing to do and endangers their health."
This is quite a 'volte face' from Mr Johnson, as I have a cigar he sent me for taking part in a smoking discussion on his website a few years ago - it's still in its 'House of Commons' wrapping with a handwritten note.