That plain packaging statement: Malcolm Tucker would be very proud
Friday, April 4, 2014 at 9:49 Postscript to yesterday's events.
Following the announcement by public health minister Jane Ellison that the government is "minded" to introduce plain packaging after a "final short consultation", I spent most of the day doing radio and TV interviews.
They included Five Live, World at One (Radio 4), PM (Radio 4), Sky News, ITV News and the BBC's Six O'Clock News.
Forest's reaction was also featured on news bulletins on these radio stations:
BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio WM, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Radio York, BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Wiltshire, BBC Radio Guernsey and BBC Radio Tees.
The press, for some reason, was far less interested in what we had to say. And BBC News online ignored us completely.
The real story however is what went on behind the scenes. I'd like to tell you but I've no idea. It's a job for an investigative journalist.
What I know is, as soon as Sir Cyril Chantler handed in his report last week, we were on red alert in anticipation of a government statement.
Every day there was a new and different rumour as to when Sir Cyril's report would be published. One source even suggested it would be made public last Friday, within hours of it being handed over.
Friday came and went and surprisingly the report wasn't even leaked to a Sunday newspaper.
After that the rumours flew thick and fast. The Government was going to make a statement on Tuesday. Then it was Thursday.
On Wednesday, shortly before noon, I was told, definitely, that a statement wouldn't happen this week or next. I understand this information came from the Department of Health itself.
Lo and behold, shortly before midnight on Wednesday, I got another phone call. The Government was going to make a statement in the House of Commons at 11.15 the following morning.
Unbelievable.
In fact, sources have since told me the government was still flip-flopping as late as 7.30 yesterday morning.
One minute the statement was off, then it was on again. The picture it created was like a scene from The Thick Of It.
There was even a suggestion the statement was only being made to distract attention from the Maria Miller expenses scandal. If true, Malcolm Tucker would be very proud.
Anyway, we prepared three press releases in response to what we thought the government might announce.
(I should add that at no stage did we think Sir Cyril was going to do anything other than support plain packaging. Regardless of the evidence, a paediatrician was never going to upset the medical establishment by advocating the status quo.)
Statement number one: government would acknowledge Sir Cyril's report and announce further discussions with other interested parties without committing to plain packaging.
Statement number two: government would accept Sir Cyril's report, declare support for plain packaging, but announce further consultation.
Statement number three: government would accept Sir Cyril's report and proceed at full speed with plain packaging.
Without being wise after the event, we guessed correctly that the government would go with statement number two, or something similar.
Statement number one would have been justified but it was unlikely to happen because it would have brought the wrath of the tobacco control industry, including the Labour party, down on government.
It would have been right, and brave, but bravery (or principle) isn't a quality I associate with David Cameron's Conservative party.
So we are where we are. The government has made clear it supports plain packaging but there will be a short delay while it consults further.
I'm sure most readers of this blog are as hacked off about this as I am but this "final short consultation" gives us an opportunity to make our feelings known – again – and we must make the most of it.
Next week we will announce how you can help.
I'm off to Scotland now (Glasgow tonight, then Largs on the Ayrshire coast). While I'm gone I'll leave you with this essential reading:
Plain packaging doesn't work (Nick de Bois MP)
Plain packs edging closer (Chris Snowdon)
What we learned from Ellison and Chantler today (Dick Puddlecote)
Protect our children – from nasty politicians (Brian Monteith)
PS. Great contributions in parliament yesterday from the likes of Jacob Rees Mogg, Rob Halfon, and Philip Davies.
Glad to see some MPs are still willing to stand up and fight paternalism and prohibition.
Update: Hear me talking to Shelagh Fogarty (Five Live) here.
The PM report (Radio 4) is here. It features an interview with Mike Ridgeway of the UK packaging industry.
Reader Comments (21)
Chantler must have been hand picked because of his marketing, sales trend, branding experience ... oh wait .. he's a pediatrician. He knows nothing but how to scaremonger stupid and biased politicians for the corrupt anti-smoker industry.
Tobacco companies now have a duty to their consumer to sue the Govt for willful destruction of their product and for taking away their consumers' rights.
Tobacco should have sued long before now. They should get some balls and stand by us.
Also, when are we going to London to protest outside the DH. This whitewash must not be allowed to happen. We live in a free country, allegedly, not a communist dictatorship.
Who and what will be next? The hysterical loons are already screeching for plain packs for anything at all they don't like from alcohol to sweets.
Oh - and you should not keep things to yourself - or don't mention them.
If they did something dodgy in your presence, tell us about it. The gloves must now come off.
We've already had consultation. The majority of people and agencies not linked to salaries or funding dependent on tobacco control said NO.
This new pretence designed to waste our time is to give the appearance of listening when this is clearly not the case. Their minds are made up. They've been ordered by Labour that they have to do this, and they will not consider the consumer at all.
I'm no mug. The Govt and its consultation can fuck off.
I'm more for showing how angry I am by protesting in London and voting them out.
No point in signing anything anymore.
The number of people who actually want this measure or believe it to be worthwhile would constitute a very thin and disappointing crowd at Tannadice for a Dundee United home game, yet it is to become law. Incredible!
The main reason for this appalling precedent is the utter cowardice of David Cameron and his party combined with the increasingly authoritarian and disingenuous nature of the opposition. Luciana Berger is even now shrieking that there is "overwhelming evidence" for plain packaging despite the contradictory contents of the report, which beggars belief coming from a shadow minister. Where does Miliband find people so ethically and intellectually challenged?
The message is clear, if you do not wish to live under a nouveau aristocracy bereft of ethics morals and honesty then don't vote for the Labour or Conservative parties.
Good work Simon. Thanks on behalf of all smokers.
So they are paving the way for fakes to flood the market. This move obviously has nothing to do with health. I am saddened that our country has regressed from being liberal to an authoritarian state.
Any Tory,Lib Dem or Labour pamphlets that I receive during council & EU elections will be destroyed.
You forgot to mention the Lib Dems Ivan. They're just as bad, voting for just about every restrictive law going.
I felt there was something bordering on the orgasmic about the way the news of the decision and the 'independent' report on which it was based, was announced in the broadcast I saw about it yesterday.
It's incredible how a country once renowned for fair play and integrity has sunk so low. Our shabby politicians who trumpet that policies must be evidence-based are either cynically posturing, incompetent or corrupt. Whatever - they simply can't be trusted.
I don't know whether you're the embodiment of hope over experience, Simon, in taking at face value the nonsense about further consultation or whether you know in your heart of hearts that it will make not a whit of difference but feel duty-bound to pretend that it will but I don't intend to waste any more of my time trying to be heard by deaf ears.
Politicians should really get out more among ordinary people - I think more and more have rumbled that public health is a scam - some, I think, have even joined up enough dots to see that where tobacco control leads, others follow and plain packaging for fags today will be plain packaging for "Frosties" tomorrow. I detect a less unsympathetic attitude towards smokers these days. As usual, our spineless, short-sighted and self-serving masters are behind the curve
Agreed Adam. I stopped voting Lib Dem as a consequence of the way that the parliamentary party voted in support of the illiberal 2006 health act.
It's only plain packaging, they'll still taste the same. And if it means even one less teenager tries smoking then it's worth it. Cigarettes are still legal just no garish packaging designs instead. The more we protest the more obvious it makes it that it will actually harm tobacco sales.
The public health lobbies, supported by the government lobbying the government, even acknowledge the demornalisation of smokers. I watched the main news last night, and they were the words that were used.
History shows how the denormalisation of legal citizens is pretty easy to achieve. Our succesive governments are just following the filthy lucre. Why not, seeing as the majority are now career politicians and not politicians who represent the people.
I just hope that the truth escapes in my lifetime and I'm still there to say 'I told you so'. Bring on the people's intellectual army. You know - those who live in the real world and are not cotton-woolled inside the Westminster bubble.
Chris - you say what no smoker has said - ever - are you sure you are a smoker? My guess is you're just another anti- or anti-smoker vaper - who hasn't got a clue how much this means.
You might be happy to jump through a million humiliating hoops to buy an over taxed legit product which won't tell you what type of tobacco you're smoking on the packet so it's hardly likely to taste the same if we don't even know what we're smoking anymore.
If it's like Aus, shopkeepers can't tell you what they're selling. Neither will you know the nicotine or tar content or any other important product information.
You're either taking the piss when you say "If it stops one more teen from smoking...." or you're just a nasty vile anti trotting out the antis usual infantile line when there isn't an expert anywhere (and smokers are the experts not the smokerphobic bullies and thugs in tobacco control) who stands by that ridiculous falsehood.
We know, and you will see, that plain packs will create a new generation of child smoker not seen since the 1960s and all this fuss has suddenly made a very uncool product massively cool to teenagers.
The only people who advertise cigs to youths and kids is tobacco control which just won't stop shoving it in young people's faces. They do need new quitters in future though to ensure their fat salaries and funding keeps paying for their holidays and mortgages so it suits them to get kids smoking.
The only way to get smoking rates down is to listen to smokers - not those who hate smokers. All you lot want is see people you dislike suffer as much as you can. I'll bet that gives you a lovely warm feeling inside.
Watch in full. Nigel Farage quizzed by Daily Telegraph readers.
Nigel Farage's response to smoking ban and plain packaging about 43.00 mins.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FB4Lpvta3DY
Here's a heads up for your visit to Largs in Ayrshire Simon, which coincides with this press release. This is what they might be hitting you with.
http://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/communitycampaigns/articles/2014/04/05/494123-home-smoking-causes-cot-deaths--nhs-ayrshire-claim/#c71728
"It's a job for an investigative journalist"
Shame we don't seem to have any of those left any more. All the papers now have are party-line-toting serfs who wouldn't know how to investigate a paper bag. Aaah, where's "Deep Throat" when you need him?
Non smokers lose babies too - in fact more of them. They should not target one group of grieving parents over another for blame and abuse.
They should do both smokers and non smokers a favour and find what really causes the tragedy of cot deaths for both groups of people.
Smokers are getting more than angry at this abusive hate campaign.
It won't make a blind bit of difference. Anyone who really cares what the packs look like will buy cases like those you get from http://www.smoke-screenz.com to put their cigarette packs in, they hide all the packaging.
Already done, Jack. I've used a little leather case for my ciggies for years now. Mine is actually a little leather case for glasses, but it's perfect for cigarettes because it has a little pocket on the front which holds two lighters as well as the cigarettes in the main part. Much easier for carrying around in a handbag or pocket without the lighter vanishing into the deepest recesses of either!
Every single MP should be sacked forthwith. Me Vote ? Not a hope in hell