The Liberal Democrats have published their election manifesto.
Labour and the Conservatives are due to publish theirs later this week and as you can imagine one of the issues I shall be keeping an eye on is further restrictions on tobacco and smoking.
Following the demise of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill after the sudden and unexpected announcement of an immediate general election, Labour and the Tories are expected to revive plans for a generational ban on the sale of tobacco.
But what about the Lib Dems whose support for the policy at the second reading of Bill in April was roundly condemned by several party activists, one of whom wrote ‘A smoking ban isn’t “unconservative” - but it is illiberal’ (Liberal Voice).
Well, it seems the authors of the Lib Dem manifesto may have heeded their comments because I can’t find a single mention of the policy in the document published today.
Yes, there’s a commitment to banning ’single use vapes’ (although it’s not clear why), but raising the age of sale of tobacco, even to 21, is noticeably absent, although the party does support a tobacco levy ‘to help fund healthcare and smoking cessation services’.
Elsewhere we are told that ‘Liberal Democrats believe that people should be in control of their own lives and health …’ Sadly, recent history suggests otherwise so forgive me if I stifle a cheer.
Nevertheless, with one major party manifesto published and no mention of a generational smoking ban I’ll count that as a small victory.
It won’t stop Lib Dem MPs voting with Labour and Tory paternalists in the new parliament, but at least we can point out that they have no mandate to support a generational ban.