ASH "delighted" by WHO award for public health minister
Friday, May 27, 2016 at 15:13 It's World No Tobacco Day on Tuesday.
It's never been a big event in this country, partly because we have so many other anti-smoking initiatives. ASH however like to promote it as best they can.
Today, for example, they've issued a press release:
Public Health Minister Jane Ellison awarded WHO medal
Public Health Minister Jane Ellison MP has been awarded the prestigious WHO Director-General Special Award to mark World No Tobacco Day. The award recognises her political leadership and determination in overseeing the introduction of a major public health reform, standardised ‘plain’ packaging of tobacco, and her ongoing commitment to tobacco control ...
Responding to the Minister’s award, Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, said:
“Despite relentless tobacco industry lobbying the Public Health Minister made sure that the government proceeded with the introduction of standardised ‘plain’ packaging of cigarettes. Her commitment to tackling the harm caused by tobacco is unquestionable and we are delighted that her work has been recognised by the World Health Organisation.”
Click here to read it in full. (Forest gets a mention, which is nice of them.)
We've responded as follows:
Health minister should decline WHO award, say campaigners
The smokers' group Forest has urged public health minister Jane Ellison to "politely decline" an award she has been given by the World Health Organisation to mark World No Tobacco Day [Monday 31st May].
Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: "No politician should accept an award from any tobacco control organisation.
"In order to be seen to be fair, impartial and objective, Jane Ellison should politely but publicly decline this dubious accolade."
Responding to comments by Deborah Arnott, CEO of ASH, he added: "I'm not surprised ASH are delighted by the award. After all, they receive funding from Ellison's department!"
Full press release here.
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't ASH who nominated Ellison for this award. They're pretty good at lobbying government so lobbying WHO to give an award to the minister they lobbied to introduce plain packaging in the UK seems a pretty natural thing to do.
Btw, did anyone else get the irony of "Despite relentless tobacco industry lobbying the Public Health Minister made sure that the government proceeded with the introduction of standardised ‘plain’ packaging of cigarettes"?
Another, more accurate, interpretation is:
"Following relentless lobbying by the tobacco control industry the Public Health Minister made sure that the government proceeded with the introduction of standardised ‘plain’ packaging of cigarettes."
Anyway I'll come back to the subject of World No Tobacco Day later. There are one or two events taking place in Brussels on Tuesday to mark the occasion.
By coincidence I'm going to be in Brussels on Tuesday myself. Perhaps I'll run into Deborah. Or Jane.
Watch this space.
Update: Seems it was Cancer Research UK that nominated Ellison for the award:
"Cancer Research UK nominated Jane Ellison for her personal determination and spirit in fighting the vested interests of the tobacco industry and making the UK the second country in the world to introduce this legislation which will save thousands of lives." Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK
Reader Comments (8)
I completely agree with you. In a parallel world, it is like awarding Nick Griffin for bringing down immigration
What it shows is how small and integrated the group of 'top people' who run the tobacco control arm or the WHO is. What did Ellison actually do? Nothing, except read a piece of paper in Parliament.
Hmm. Images of the fixed, cheesy, don’t-give-the-game-away smiles plastered on the faces of the runners-up in the Miss World competition (complete with faux “air kisses” and chummy photos), spring to mind. I rather think that the ever-so-slightly-bland ASH quote may well have been dictated through somewhat gritted teeth, and I’ll bet there is a little, eensy-weensy, teeny-tiny bit of Arnott that secretly feels that in fact the award should have gone to her ...
Aww shame. Better luck next time, Debs!
Hey-ho. Labour fell for them and so have the Tories.
I'm not quite sure whether they fell for the funding, were too PC correct, or blatantly thick.
Personally I don't care anymore for the elite and will continue to do my bit for communities that is welcomed and assists much more than intolerance based on lies.
Successive governments have caused the MH issues in our country. They cater for everyone in the world , yet punish anyone who smokes because there's funding to be gained from taking that stance.
Never again will I vote for a major party as they vote for their career rather than their true beliefs for the people they are supposed to represent.
What did Ellison do? Good question Junican. She became a pliable stooge for the anti smoker industry, happy to use her power to beat up and persecute weak and vulnerable consumers on command.
She is a national disgrace.
Aww, that's sweet, lolly pop instead of a big stick this week, canine training school 101.
It will be a shame if it falls fowl of the vote in HOL week after next, probably best not let the engraver at it just yet.
Dear Mr Clark
Are any awards made to public servants or government departments for beating up consumers of other legal products?
There do seem to be wanna-be beater uppers of consumers of fat, sugar, salt and alcoholic beverages. Perhaps they will get their awards in due course.
1 July is National Smokers' Day. Feel free to light up.
DP
It shows that they are a bunch of megalomaniacs.