Doug Naysmith (RIP) and a rather surprising claim to fame
Monday, July 10, 2023 at 11:30 They say you should never speak ill or disrespectfully of the dead, and I don’t intend to start now.
Nevertheless, I am a little stumped.
Yesterday the Telegraph published an obituary of former Labour MP Doug Naysmith, who died recently, aged 82, and the headline read:
Doug Naysmith, MP who campaigned successfully to have smoking banned in public places
How strange. Having campaigned against bans on smoking in public places for most of the period Naysmith was an MP (1997-2010), I can honestly say I don’t remember him at all.
There are many people I do remember campaigning to have smoking banned in public places, but the former MP for Bristol North West is not one of them.
According to the Telegraph however he was ‘a driving force within the Health Select Committee’ and:
His own proudest moment came in 2007 when the Government banned smoking in public places, in good measure as a result of his campaigning.
Seriously?!
I’ve done a quick online search and I can find just one news report about the smoking ban that features a quote by Doug Naysmith and it’s from October 2005:
Why UK differs on smoke ban policy (BBC News)
Ironically it features a lengthy comment from me as well, and I still don’t remember him!
Look, I don’t want to disparage the man and his achievements. He clearly dedicated himself to public service (he was also a Bristol city councillor for 21 years), which is something I respect.
But the Telegraph obituary seems to be re-writing history, and I’m not sure why.
Update: Neither the Bristol Post (Tributes to former Bristol MP Dr Doug Naysmith who has died) nor ITV (West Country) mention the smoking ban in their reports of Doug Naysmith’s death, far less the claim that it was introduced ‘in good measure as a result of his campaigning’.
So why the Telegraph?
Update #2: Today's ASH Daily News doesn't mention the Telegraph's obituary which rather supports my point.
Update #3: ASH has belatedly included the Telegraph’s obituary in its Daily News bulletin (July 13), adding this (barely intelligible) note:
Doug Naysmith was an active member of the Health Select Committee in a first for a Select Committee tabled all-party amendments removing the exemptions to the smoking ban in the Health Bill 2005 for licensed premises and private members clubs. The amendments were passed on a free vote by a majority of 200, paving the way for implementation of comprehensive smokefree laws in England in 2007
Frankly, I’m none the wiser. Are you?
Reader Comments (1)
Doug Naysmith was a member of the Health Select Committee which refused to accept the compromises suggested by Tony Blair and the Health Secretary. These would have allowed smoking to continue in various venues, e.g. working men's clubs or pubs that didn't sell food. As a long-standing member of the Socialist Health Association, Doug was adamant this should not be allowed. The Select Committee pressed for a free vote threatening to vote against unless this was allowed. The Government backed down and in the end even the Secretary of State for Health voted for a complete ban. You may not have been aware, Simon Clark, of Doug's role in this as he was someone who worked behind the scenes rather than in the limelight but he was definitely influential in getting this life-saving measure passed.