Robert Halfon, friend or foe?

Between now and the General Election on May 7 I'm highlighting my top 40 'target seats', those where the candidate standing for re-election has consistently supported anti-tobacco policies, and those where a leading candidate is a consistent opponent of excessive lifestyle regulations and policies that infantilise us all. With a few exceptions, I'm focussing on marginal or semi-marginal seats.

#7 - Harlow
The standout campaigner in parliament (and one of the nicest politicians you could meet), Robert Halfon is best known for his successful campaign for cheaper petrol but he also lent his weight to other campaigns, opposing bingo tax and plain packaging, for example. Even his appointment as PPS to George Osborne failed to silence him and his decision to vote against plain packaging in defiance of his boss demonstrated enormous integrity. Regardless of party allegiance, British politics would be far healthier if there were more people like Rob Halfon in parliament.

2010 majority: 4,925 (11.2%)
Estimated number of smokers in Harlow: 13,480*
Principal opponent: Labour
Friend or foe: Friend
Target rating: No room for complacency

*Based on 20% of the registered electorate in 2010

Note: marginal seats have been defined as those with majorities of 10% or less that require a swing of 5% for the incumbent party to lose.