Stephen Metcalfe: 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.

#31 – Basildon South & Thurrock East

The latest polls suggest a 4% swing from Conservative to Labour so Stephen Metcalfe should be safe, although a strong Ukip performance could further eat into his majority. The reason he deserves support is, ironically, spelled out on the Tobacco Tactics website: "In October 2010 he voted for the smoking ban to be overturned. In November 2010 he signed an Early Day Motion calling for a review of the smoking ban. In December 2010 he signed a letter in demanding that the tobacco display ban be reconsidered. In June 2011 he voted against a Private Member’s Bill banning smoking in cars carrying children. Metcalfe was one of the 50 MPs who wrote to the then Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in 2012 expressing serious concerns over plain packaging proposals." The taxpayer-funded site hasn't been updated for a while so let me list some of Metcalfe's more recent 'crimes'. In February 2014 and February 2015 he voted against a ban on smoking in private vehicles carrying children, and in March 2015 he voted against plain packaging of tobacco. What's not to like?! Vote Metcalfe!

2010 majority: 5,7772 (12.9%)
Estimated number of smokers in Basildon South & Thurrock East: 14,361*
Principal opponent: Labour
Friend or foe: Friend
Target rating: Should hold on

*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.