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.
#32 – Cambridge
Vote for plain cigarette packs marks success of Huppert's campaign:
MP Julian Huppert marked the successful culmination of his campaign for plain cigarette packaging yesterday when the issue returned to Parliament and won the backing of MPs. It follows a sustained campaign by Julian who has been lobbying the government to ban tobacco companies from using brightly coloured cigarette packaging. “This issue is so important if we are to stop future generations of young people becoming addicted to nicotine with all the health issues that brings and the strain it puts on our health services,” said Julian. “I respect a person’s right to choose to smoke but the decision needs to be taken as an adult and not as a child.” Huppert respects an adult's right so choose so much he opposed an amendment to the smoking ban that would allow adults to light up in separate smoking rooms in pubs and clubs. Go figure.
2010 majority: 6,792 (13.5%)
Estimated number of smokers in Cambridge: 15,424*.
Principal opponents: Conservative and Labour
Friend or foe: Foe
Target rating: 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.