A landmark bill to ban the younger generation from ever smoking has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Commons.
The legislation, backed by 415 to 47, means anyone born after 1 January 2009 will be prevented from buying tobacco if it ultimately becomes law.
Before then, the bill must go through further parliamentary stages, with MPs able to suggest amendments to any aspects they don’t like.
Other measures being proposed include a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, with a possible ban on the sale of sweet vape flavours, subject to consultation.
While tonight’s numbers indicate large cross-party support, there was some strong criticism from Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Reform UK MPs, who raised concerns about “civil liberties”.
The division list showed Tory leader Kemi Badenoch voted against the measure, having previously said “people born a day apart will have permanently different rights”.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman, shadow immigration minister Robert Jenrick, and Sir Iain Duncan Smith are among the other high-profile Conservatives who also didn’t back the bill.
While most Liberal Democrats did vote to support the bill, the party’s health spokeswoman Helen Morgan said: “The introduction of a phased smoking ban is problematic and not because Liberal Democrats want to see people smoke themselves into an early grave – far from it – but because it raises issues of practicality and raises issues of civil liberties.”
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Known as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, it was first proposed by Rishi Sunak when he was prime minister but failed to make its way to the House of Commons after he called the general election, which he lost.
Mr Sunak was recorded as having not voted tonight, as was the case for Nigel Farage – though the rest of the Reform UK MPs were against it.
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Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the Labour government was bringing the legislation forward to stop young people spending a “life imprisoned by addiction”.
He also told MPs it would “come down on the vaping industry like a ton of bricks to prevent a new generation from getting hooked on nicotine”.
Call for levy on tobacco products
A wide-range of views were heard during the debate, which was a free vote for Tory MPs – meaning they could side with their conscience and not party lines.
Conservative MP Bob Blackman called for the legislation to go further to include a levy on tobacco companies’ profits to hold them responsible “for the blight on our population’s health”.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Pic: PA
“Both of my parents died from smoking-related cancer. My late mother was only 47, and she was a very heavy smoker all her life. I was then left as a 23-year-old with three younger sisters to bring up as a family,” he said.
Former health secretary Victoria Atkins was also among the 23 Conservatives who backed the bill, while 35 Tories were listed as voting against.
The legislation includes powers to introduce a licencing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Shopkeepers found to be selling to anyone under age will receive on-the-spot fines of £200.
Mr Streeting said the government “will consult on banning smoking outside schools, hospitals and in playgrounds, protecting children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke”, as part of the bill.
This will not be extended to pub gardens and other outdoor hospitality spaces, he confirmed, after the government dropped those plans following a backlash.