Yesterday's post-statement debate has been well reported and can be read in full here, but a couple of contributions stand out for their jaw-dropping gall. Firstly, Jane Ellison in reply to our Phil.
No one is bringing forward measures to ban smoking; rather, we are all now able to show our support for measures that might have the potential to stop children taking up smoking. I cannot believe that he cannot agree with that. The vast majority of the public are with us, and I fear that in this case he is in danger, very rarely, of being an unpopular populist.This is, of course, a lie. The government's own consultation document says so [page 31].
And one for the vapers from decrepit Newport anti-smoking/pro-drugs loon Paul Flynn (on Twitter here).
Of course, this is not a Conservative statement, because it is evidence-based, prejudice-free and intelligent. Will the Minister add further lustre to her reputation by starting an investigation into the potential danger of electronic cigarettes normalising smoking?I think he means that it's not a Conservative statement precisely because the piss poor evidence behind it is policy-based, motivated purely by prejudice, and the statement itself strikingly unConservative and stupid beyond belief (unless the goal was to increase the Ukip vote). But Paul's old, bless 'im, perhaps he just got confused.
Still, on e-cigs he's sharp as a tack, already jumping at the chance to commission more policy-based evidence for the next illiberal and entirely unnecessary assault on the public he is supposed to be serving.
See, this is the main problem with politicians. They're venal and repulsive liars but we're not allowed to shoot them.
