Pub gardens and outside football stadiums could be some of the places that smoking is banned under Labour‘s new proposals.
A number of outdoor locations are suggested to be targeted by Sir Keir Starmer as he looks to drastically extend the indoor smoking ban.
The Prime Minister told journalists in Paris he is looking at changes to smoking laws as he pointed to a ‘huge burden’ on the NHS.
The indoor smoking ban, which was introduced under the previous Labour government in 2007, could be extended to cover other locations.
Outdoor restaurants, small parks, and pavements outside nightclubs could also be listed as the Government makes a bid to improve public health.
Leaked Government papers shows ministers are looking to toughen up on people lighting up in public amidst fears too many Brits are suffering from second-hand smoke inhalation (file image)
Vapers will likely be hit as part of the rollout and Shisha bars also feeling the impact of the planned restrictions.
The current plans, which are still being finalised, will see the smoking of fags banned outside outside hospitals, schools, college and university campuses, sports grounds, children’s playgrounds.
The distance someone will be allowed to smoke away from one of these locations is yet to be determined.
The ban will not cover people’s private homes, nor large open spaces like big national parks or streets.
But other locations are said to be grey areas and still under discussion – including beaches and enclosed, popular parks.
It is likely to be announced as part of a toughened-up Tobacco and Vapes Bill – which was initially designed to carry out Rishi Sunak’s plan to eventually phase out cigarettes.
Hospitality businesses are said to be fearing the financial cost of the potential ban – as many struggling pubs had spent decades building outside smoking areas to keep punters coming – claiming an outdoor smoking ban would lead to ‘significant closures and job losses’.
Ministers will argue that the economic benefits far outweigh the costs and claim smoking costs the Treasury £21.8billion in health spending, dwarfing the amount it raises in tax.
Pub gardens could be one of the many outdoor locations targeted by Sir Keir Starmer as he looks to drastically extend the indoor smoking ban (file image)
No10 will also claim that the 2007 indoor smoking ban did not hurt businesses but helped save lives, despite the initial public fury when it was introduced.
Despite this, the move – which was not mentioned in the King’s Speech six weeks ago or in Labour’s manifesto – is likely to cause a lot of tension across the country.
Sir Keir only pledged to honour the Tory plan to continuously raise the smoking age during his election campaign.
A 2020 government press release stressed that banning outdoor smoking in bars would be a hammer blow to businesses.
It said: ‘Since the existing ban was introduced, businesses have invested heavily in their outdoor areas and banning outdoor smoking would lead to significant closures and job losses.’
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage forecast: ‘It will be the end of pubs.’
Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick added: ‘The last thing this country needs is thousands more pubs closing.
‘Our country faces huge challenges. Why is Starmer focusing on this nonsense?’