Friday 22 October 2010

Why Cable?

Crikey! I nearly missed this.

YouGov pollster President, Peter Kellner, has finally abandoned any pretence at impartiality with a desperate plea for the coalition to continue with Labour's plans - passed thanks to a misdirection of parliament - to hide tobacco displays.

Unusually, the comments thread (no log in required) has seen visits from the higher echelons of British anti-smoking glitterati. Every one of them, of course, is paid handsomely to dedicate their time entirely for the purpose. Yet - and please don't laugh too loud or you'll upset the neighbours - all opposition voices in the comments, despite quite obviously being ordinary folk, are somehow described by these rent seekers as the bent ones taking the shilling of a global industry.

Because Dockrell and West, to name but two, would naturally abhor the thought of taking money from pharmaceutical interests who profit from denormalising smokers and bullying them into using pharma products, so they would.

Do go read the whole thing (or even comment yourself if you're feeling saucy), and note the reticence of the healthists to depart from rehearsed rhetoric, emotive pleading, and plain old-fashioned "do you know who I am?"-ism.

Then ponder this very interesting aspect.

The legislation which they are trying to protect at all costs is The Health Act of last year. The lies work they contributed to get it passed were conducted through the Department of Health. ASH and CRUK (the latter of whom had a staff member seconded to the DH for the duration) had a hotline open at all hours to push the thing through. Their useful idiot was Lord Darzi, Labour's health GOAT member.

Yet this letter is directed at Vince Cable ... the BUSINESS secretary.

Are all these tobacco control slebs a trifle worried about the stance of their long-cultivated DH contacts, perchance?

Or perhaps they're just extending their blackmail to another department, I dunno.


13 comments:

Jock Coats said...

My comment:

"I look forward to wearing whatever black/red/yellow/pink/purple/brown triangle the collective decides smokers will have to wear in the New Reich. I will no doubt be able to make many new friends."

:)

Smoking Hot said...

What an amazing article, well comments on it anyway. l see the righteous have ran away ... not surprising in the least. l hope this article in the Statesman doesn't disappear.

Dick Puddlecote said...

The comments are saved, SH. ;)

Jock: Excellent. But then, with your pedigree, we kind of expect such. :)

Anonymous said...

DP - are you thinking of passing the page on to Vince Cable - it's the only way he's going to see ALL the comments?

Jay

Bucko said...

I was one of the commenters who is obviously in the pay of big tobacco. My cheque must be in the post???

Dick Puddlecote said...

Jay: One wonders why they felt it vital to pop up on that particular thread. It's unusual, so perhaps Cable is expected to read it.

Bucko: Yeah, still waiting for the cheque to drop through the post myself. Perhaps then I wouldn't have to earn my money by battling DVLA and VOSA! :(

Anonymous said...

DP - I'm sure they wouldn't have popped up if Cable weren't expected to see it, but then they couldn't have foreseen Dave Atherton's expose.

I think Kellner and his band of thieves will cut the page and write snail mail to Cable.

Jay

PS I've saved it too.

timbone said...

Dave Atherton is brilliant.

Anonymous said...

I hope Cable gets to see all those comments,Dave Atherton totally destroyed them, no wonder they will never agree to a public debate!

banned said...

Fascinating comment thread, I rather thought the second one was by you Dick. "Phil Johnson
21 October 2010 at 12:55"


Why is it that quangocrats can't stop talking in Quango when they are writing to newspapers? Do they speak like that at home?

PT Barnum said...

All hail Dave Atherton, the voice of truth and justice. Love his clarity and sheer bloody mindedness.

What's striking about that comment thread, tho', is the complete absence of the shoot-them-all-now psychotic foot soldiers of the ASH army. Were they told to hold off by the GrownUps in TC? Or modded out? Or just too scaredy-cat of Atherton and the pro-choice advocates? Apart from someone who wants fags hidden away so she isn't tempted to start again, the useful idiots just ain't there.

Anonymous said...

Certainly agree that Dave tore them a new one.
I guess I'll have to buy him a pint next time I see him.

BHJ

Anonymous said...

As one who has benefitted to the tune of £9875 thanks mainly to the
implementaion of the total smoking ban in 2007,I have to admit no real interest in the Tobacco Display issue.
The various health initiatives will sail into law primarily due to the pathetic disunity of the opposition to such regulations.
The appalling apathy of groups such
as shopkeepers and publican tells
me ,they deserve all restrictions forthcoming

Oh as a matter of interest
I saved the £9875 by boycotting
pubs and with the money saved
visit Europe 8-10 times a year where I buy my tobacco and save even more
In simple terms
Stuff the corner shop
Stuff the Pubs

Anarchaic Goth


PS DP and Dave Ath. 10/10