Sunday 24 March 2013

More From The Hotline To Sydney?

Back in September, I pointed out an incredible coincidence concerning a geriatric vandal from Sydney.
Consider a tweet from Simon Chapman in June - who, remember, lives 10,000 miles away - which states with absolute certainty that those opposing plain packs are universally dodgy.


Again, this is news to anyone who was following the debate in this country, yet conveniently came just a few days after Andrew Black of the Department of Health had written to Simon Clark of Forest about something he claimed to have seen. Not that anyone here knew that at the time, of course.

Chapman offered no link, nor was there any news coverage anywhere of this 'story'. In fact, it wasn't until three months later on the 13th September that the allegations were placed on the Department of Health website surrounding something the department's dedicated Aussie anti-smoker - Andrew Black - says he saw just a few days before Chapman's tweet. Uncannily enough, it concerned "screeds of made up names" being collected. What a coincidence!
Well, it seems he again seems to know more than any of us plebs on this side of the planet.


Yes. Apparently, despite Anna Soubry and David Cameron claiming to the contrary, the debate over plain packaging of tobacco has already been "won" in the UK.

Now, we could ask if the Department of Health has been talking to Mr Chapman, but it could just as easily be his own Ministry of Health. You know, the same ones who extended the UK consultation by a month because their Health Minister was on holiday.

Or is he just a liar? I suppose only time will tell.



8 comments:

nisakiman said...

DP, is it only you and a few others who notice these things? Does nobody in the government (who are supposed to be conducting an impartial consultation) notice that something stinks to high heaven? Surely, even if they were complicit in this farrago, they would try to keep it looking like it is a kosher consultation. Wouldn't they? Or perhaps they are so contemptuous of the sham consultation that they can't even be bothered to cover up its failings.

I would dearly love to see the smug smirk wiped of the charlatan Crapman's face. Lord, he is such an odious, oleaginous smegmaball.

Dick_Puddlecote said...

The corruption of this consultation is so deep that it could end up being extremely useful as an exhibit. When they bring in plain packaging, it will show that all public consultations are just a sham.


Anti-smokers again poisoning democratic discourse can only further destroy the integrity and public perception of politicians. The plain packs farce gives us a great insight into how these people lie with impunity - it's a perfect manual for anyone who has a beef with the political class. :)

Ivan D said...

If this does become law in the UK our pathetic unrepresentative excuse for a government will have betrayed democracy in attempt to appease the likes of Chapman and the most venal and narcissistic profession of them all. This proposal has no public support outside of the realm of public health extremism. A decent government would never have even considered it. We need an alternative to mainstream politics in the UK very urgently.

lfb said...

I believe that unwittingly, the government, have shot themselves in the foot. Passing legislation without using common sense, has and is causing more and more people to just ignore the legislation. It's opening people's eyes to just how hypocritical and venal the scum that we call our political class really are!

Tom said...

If Australia was at one time a colony of UK - does Simon Chapman setting UK tobacco control policies make UK now a colony of Australia? He makes it seem that way, his budding in and getting his way from 10,000 miles away.

nisakiman said...

When they bring in plain packaging, it will show that all public consultations are just a sham.


Yes, but show who, DP?



The MSM won't touch it, as they won't publish anything which goes against the tide of anti-tobacco.



We know that James Delingpole, for instance, is a smoker and is privately highly critical of the anti-smoker movement and their fraudulent claims. But you will note that he never writes about it in the DT, even though he is a very vocal and informed (and widely read) critic of AGW. Why is that?



It can only be that the editorial stance of the DT forbids him to do so on pain of losing his no doubt lucrative regular slot. And the same applies throughout the MSM. So the only people who will be aware of the fraud will be us, the small percentage who take an active interest in these things. And there isn't a lot to be gained by preaching to the converted.

JonathanBagley said...

It's probable that plain packaging won't achieve its objective. It is that which will eventually put the most bullets in the Government's foot. Making smokers stand outside in the cold hasn't stopped them smoking, so why would changing the packets. The anti tobacco industry counters that it is aimed at stopping young people from taking it up. I think plain packets will make it more likely.

SadButMadLad said...

I was most surprised when I got the reply off Simon Chapman. Especially when I called him #RootOfAllEvil.