Further to my previous post BBC News has just reported that:
MPs have voted by a majority of 254 in favour of plain packaging of tobacco. Some 367 were in favour with 113 against in the free vote.
See MPs back standardised cigarette packaging (BBC News).
Forest's response:
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest which runs the Hands Off Our Packs campaign, said:
"The Government has ignored a substantial backbench rebellion and the views of hundreds of thousands of people who opposed, by big majorities, plain packaging in two public consultations.
"Consumers are fed up being patronised by politicians of all parties. Smokers know there are health risks associated with tobacco. Plain packaging won't make any difference to adults or to children.
"What next? Standardised packaging for alcohol and sugary drinks?"
Most interest, I suspect, will be on the tobacco companies' next move. I imagine it will be similar to Ireland:
Three companies threaten legal action against new plain packaging laws (BreakingNews.ie)
Update: Given the circumstances I'm pretty happy with the level of opposition to plain packaging. It may have been a big majority but don't forget that Labour MPs had been whipped to vote in favour.
A dozen were expected to rebel and vote against so that leaves 100 or so Tory MPs who voted against.
That means one third of the parliamentary party voted against a Conservative-led government, which is not a bad result.
Update: 122 Tory MPs voted in favour of plain packaging, 104 against. That means that fewer than half of all Conservative MPs voted for plain packaging.