Mark Spencer, friend or foe?

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

#13 - Sherwood
In 2012 Mark Spencer was one of 50 MPs who wrote to the then Health Secretary Andrew Lansley expressing serious concerns about plain packaging. In March 2015 he voted against the proposal but like several other Conservatives who opposed the policy he's defending a very slim majority. I'm beginning to sound like a stuck record but this is another seat where a vote for Ukip could wound the incumbent and send to parliament a less sympathetic MP.

2010 majority: 314 (0.4%)
Estimated number of smokers in Sherwood: 14,210*
Principal opponent: Labour
Friend or foe: Friend
Target rating: Extremely vulnerable

*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.