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HOWARD'S WAY.... a weekly column from Michael Howard MP

23 February 2006<IMG height=195 hspace=10 src="images/michaelhoward3.jpg" width=130 align=right vspace=10 border=0>

Free votes in the House of Commons are comparatively rare. On most issues the discipline of the Whips is a necessary element of parliamentary democracy. But last Tuesday the House of Commons, on all sides, had a free vote on whether smoking should be banned in public places.

It led to some very peculiar events. The Prime Minister and the Health Minister voted for a total ban despite the fact that their manifesto at the Election, just a few months ago, and the official policy of the labour Party, was only for a partial ban. It was the first time in history that a Minister responsible for a particular policy, and a Prime Minister, had voted against the policy of their party.

I voted, so far as I could on the amendments which were selected for a vote, against a ban. And I would like to explain why.

It seems to me that many of the arguments in favour of banning smoking in public places could be used to ban it altogether. But the Government is not proposing to do that. Instead the House of Commons has now voted to ban it from private clubs as well as pubs.

I can understand why some people think that it would have been unfair to pubs if smoking were allowed in clubs. Village pubs, in particular, might suffer.

But this just illustrates the difficulties you get when you embark on the banning road.

So long as cigarette smoking is legal I think people should be allowed to choose whether and when to smoke.

As Roger Gale, the MP for Thanet, pointed out in the debate it is perfectly possible to require pubs and clubs, as a condition of their licence, to decide whether they are to be smoking or non-smoking. People can then choose where they want to drink.

I realise there are many people who will disagree with my view. And they have had their way. But I do not regret my vote. This ban seems to me to be one step too far on the road to a Nanny State.

Incidentally, I certainly do not think that the Houses of Parliament should be exempt from any smoking ban. I hope steps will be taken to ensure the ban applies.