Someone Turn That Tap Off!

A day after the passing of the Health Act 2006, I was discussing its implications with some friends in a pub when one said "ASH may as well pack up now, they've got everything they ever wanted". He meant it, too. He believed that there was nothing left for them to go for. Yet here we are, 4 years later, and ASH - along with a plethora of other anti-smoking organisations - are louder and shriller than ever. One can barely read, watch or listen to the MSM without reading, seeing, or hearing one of them droning on about 'the next logical step' in tobacco control.

But then, it's hardly surprising when one sees how much government money they have to spend, as highlighted today by Forest. In fact, the state is shovelling so much cash their way that Anne Milton all but admitted - in reply to a question from our esteemed blog mascot in September - that they had trouble keeping track of it!

Forest's report, entitled Government Lobbying Government, sheds light on the flood of taxpayer funds being channelled towards quangoes and fake charities such as ASH ... in order for them to lobby government on what the government no doubt already wants to do.

As scams go, it's a biggie. And in the current environment of cuts to services, scaling back of projects and closing of public bodies, one must wonder how the coalition can justify keeping the tax tap open like this while they are simultaneously cutting off funds for schools and libraries.

You can read the report HERE in pdf format. Simon Clark has also written a piece at Conservative Home where the comments section is starting to get busy.