Betrayal as MP claims Tories are new ‘nanny state’ party

The Shipley MP accused the Conservatives of kowtowing to New Labour’s ‘nanny state’ agenda after the Commons voted to impose the ban in England.

Mr Davies told the House of Commons: “If people had the courage of their convictions and said ‘We should ban smoking altogether’, I would at least have some respect for them, but they dare not say that that is what they want to do, even though we know it is their real agenda.”

The MP then claimed that the introduction of this new criminal offence, coupled with the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products, would lead to similar policies being introduced for “alcohol, sweets, crisps, and all the foods that supposedly lead to obesity”.

He added: “Once we have gone down this road for one thing, why would we not have plain packaging for everything? We know, particularly given the current Ministers and shadow Ministers, that that is what it would quickly lead to. We are supposedly here to try to defend the freedoms of people in this country. This Government want to trample over every single one of those freedoms. It makes me wonder what is the difference between having Labour or this Government in charge. I expect no better from Labour, but I did expect an awful lot better from a supposedly Conservative-led Government.”

However the vote was warmly welcomed by medical campaigners, who have long pressed for the measure to protect children from the effects of second-hand smoke in the confined space of a car.

Prime Minister David Cameron missed the vote while visiting flood-stricken areas in the South West.

Mr Cameron’s official spokesman told a regular Westminster media briefing: “His view is that the time for this kind of approach has come.”

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