Morning:
19°c
Boris Johnson gives his strong personal backing to Standard's campaign for a huge increase in cycle parking at London's railway stations
More...
Boris in smoking ban row
Paul Waugh and Katharine Barney17.04.08
Boris Johnson was plunged into a row over the smoking ban today after it emerged he had taken upto £10,000 from the tobacco industry.
The Tory mayoral candidate triggered criticism when he declared he wanted an "online referendum" to give Londoners a say on whether they wanted the ban overturned.
But Mr Johnson came under further fire when it was revealed that he had pocketed "between £5,000 and £10,000" for a speech to the Association of Tobacco last year. The payment is listed in the MPs' Register of Interests for June 2007.
Mr Johnson's new policy was revealed in an online webchat with The Sun today.
When asked if he was still against the smoking ban in pubs and clubs and what he planned to do about it, he replied: "What is the point of having local democracy if we don't leave decisions like this to a local level?
"If I had my way, we would have an online referendum in London about whether to give boroughs back the power to give discretion over smoking to pubs and clubs."
But as his opponents seized on the new policy, Mr Johnson issued a new statement pointing out that he now believed that London's pubs and clubs were a better place becasue of the smoke-free policy.
His campaign also said that an important caveat had been cut from The Sun website. He had made clear that he would only offer a referendum if he had the power to do so.
"Personally I do not like smoking and believe that pubs and clubs are better places since the ban came in. My point was that I believe laws like the smoking ban should have been decided at a local level rather than a national level. This is entirely consistent with my previous stance on the subject," Mr Johnson's statement said.
"It is not within the power of the Mayor to have a referendum, nor am I lobbying for the power to grant one."
Ken Livingstone said: "Boris Johnson's minders are again desperately scrabbling to conceal his real positions. The smoking ban represents one of the biggest health improvements we have seen, and Boris Johnson's admission that he wants to give boroughs the power to overturn the ban on smoking to pubs and clubs, shows he is hopelessly out of touch to be the Mayor of a modern, forward looking city like London.
"It is made even worse by the fact that it follows a donation from a tobacco group. The smoking ban has been hugely successful and is very popular with Londoners."
Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick said: "First of all Boris Johnson says that he will overturn the smoking ban. Then he issues a press release denying that he ever meant what he said. Johnson continues to drop himself in it and his team have to follow him with a bucket and shovel.
"How can Londoners trust someone who has received money from the tobacco industry to be objective about the smoking ban? Most Londoners agree with this initiative. There are two possible explanations for Boris wanting to overturn it: either he is out of touch with Londoners or he is in the pocket of the tobacco industry."
The Boris Johnson campaign said that he "was engaged to deliver a speech to the Tobacco Association on June 20th 2007 as part of his JLA Speakers Agency work".
Mayor Livingstone is himself listed with a Speakers Agency, it added.
Reader views (30)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
There is no way I will ever vote for any party who will not allow me to smoke in my local. Since the ban the monthly pub spend for my wife and I has gone from £300 to £0 and our social life is a mess. Also holidays in the UK are pointless as is the buying of new clothes for my wife to wear as we are banned from all social events.
- Chris Harris, Wallington UK
i am fed up with every-one telling us what is best for us, isn't that our choice to make. i have to watch pubs and clubs shut down because there is no trade due to the smoking ban, some that have been around since the 50s, i have seen them get turned into takeaway shops or more ugly blocks of flats. where i live there is about 30 takeaway shops. why can't pubs and clubs have raised areas for smokers with extractor fans above and air conditioning in the non smoking area, it might be abit costly at first to instal but the benefit of having your custom back will be worth it in the long run.
- Jackie, ilford
This country has changed from being a democracy to a control type state, regional councils have to use regulation control from central Government like QUANGO LACOR (search LACOR on the internet you will find you are not allowed to look at much they have a lot to hide)
The exaggerations of the health risk spread about by ASH, and the unaccountable QUANGO the Scientific committee of tobacco and Health (SCOTH)have some how conjured up that second hand smoke is harmful, when five out of every six epidemiological studies show it has no significant effect on health, even the Health and Safety Executive say in OC 255/15 printed 07/08/2006 I quote 'HSE cannot produce epidemiological evidence to link levels of exposure to SHS to the raised risk of contracting specific diseases' this smoking ban is social engineering on a devious scale, causing social isolation for millions and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, and for what so some peoples clothes do not smell.
I find it unbelievable that the media have not exposed these facts.
I hope Boris gets in we may be able to get some truth back in to politics.
- Greg Burrows, Dewsbury/ recent address Camberwell
It's not for the politicians, or Borough Councils to say in our Democratic society. But for the people to say in a Referendum regarding this and other important issues. Politicians should stop treating the voting public like animals being lead to the slaughterer house.
- A.Winsley, London. England
The standard fighting for Boris and fighting for millions of cash advertising for the standard from London tax payers.
- Martin, London
All the polls have shown over-whelmong support for the smoking ban. Quite a laugh Boris wants to reverse this after picking up £10k from some fag makers. What an idiot.
- Henry, London, UK
I am in shock - a politician that is actually brave enough to believe in democracy! Meanwhile the nasally toned left in the form of Paddick and Ken fight for the big brother nanny state. Wake up boys, young Londoners want choice and vigour back in politics, not old school nannies - Bring on Boris and a younger generation.
- Joe, London
Boris speaks total sense as usual - until being pushed back on his heels by the forces of political correctness. This blanket ban on smoking has been been a disaster, with communities torn apart as pubs close at the rate of four a day, pensioners thrown out on the street, and younger people - many of whom smoke - denied the chance to learn how to behave in civilised company.
There is no evidence that an occasional whiff of second-hand smoke is harmful and a blanket ban was entirely unnecessary. Market choice and ventilation offer a perfectly adequate solution.
- Pauld, Essex
Brilliant - local democracy - devolution for the UK. Well said Boris. Make the pubs and our social life like they used to be before ZanuNuLabour got busy with it. Excellent idea, market forces rule OK. Our pubs are closing at the rate of 2 a day. This will bring a much needed boost to them in hard economic times and return the rest of some, something at least, of our personal freedoms.
- Watervole, Twickenham
Has anyone else noticed how many pubs are now virtually empty because of the smoking ban?
The landlord of my local has noticed a marked downturn in business and I am informed that this is the norm throughout the industry.
Any landlord who feels that his business has been damaged by this blanket ban by the smoking nazis should sue the government for loss of earnings.
- Jimbob, Kensington
I'm not a Tory, but Boris has been against the smoking ban from the start. He wrote several articles opposing it. This is not a new standpoint. His opponents are blowing smoke making such a big deal about it.
Mikko Takala - I get sick of walking behind anti-smokers. The stink of sanctimony is unbearable. The selective delicateness of their nasal passages, which, apparently, can withstand outdoor air containing the carcinogen levels of between 40 and 60 cigarettes, but cannot stand transitory exposure to a wisp of smoke.
- Tim Clarke, Lancs, England
Bringing back smoking in pubs?! Boris is quickly becoming one of my heroes.
- Scarlett, London
Why cant Boris have an opinion on the smoking ban, England has become such a Nanny state, France ignore the smoking ban, as do Spain, Italy and Portugal, god even those in the European Parliament Building light up stating the ban in unenforcible.
Give an ability to designate a few pubs, clubs and restaurants that are for smokers, these areas can be staffed by those who also enjoy the odd puff. If these areas (with a little air extraction cannot turn a profit, then added them to the 1500 or so pubs that are due to close because of loss of trade.
Come on Boris sort it out
- Bazza, London
So out come the accusations of Boris being in the pay of big tobacco, but absolutely nothing is said about the donations from big pharma company Novartis (makers of various NRTs and therefore a company with most to gain from smoking bans) to the Labour party and therefore to Ken Livingstone.
- Tony, Kent UK
Boris Johnson will get my vote!
Not to allow smoking rooms in pubs and clubs, is just plain malice by this Stalinist government.
Smoking rooms with good air extraction systems, would be a fair way to keep smokers and non-smokers both happy when socialising.
- Andrea Gallard, London England
I suspect most people realise Boris was simply trying to empower the electorate. Not sure there's anything wrong with that, unless you are Marxist.
- St, London
A bad idea, even long term smokers like the ban (the ones I know). I still would vote for Boris!
- Hugh, London
Boris hasn't 'taken back' anything.
He never promised to have a smoking ban referendum, he just said 'if I had my way...'
He was simply mulling over the issue, not saying that he would do anything about it as mayor.
Why are things like this always blown out of proportion?
- Robert Cunningham, Harrow, London, UK
Paddick's comments are a bit ridiculous. Boris simply stated that IF he could have his way he'd let the local boroughs decide what to do about the ban. He hasn't been in any way duplicitous as the Register is in the public domain and it's not like he concealed the fee.
- Elisabeth, London, UK
Chaos in the Johnson camp, undisclosed "contributions" , back- tracking, fumbling ineptitude at every level.
- Dr Susan Porter, London
Boris opens his mouth and in goes the foot. No matter, he'll still win the Mayoral race. London needs a change, certainly needs a Mayor who will face down the criminals, the drug dealers, the anti-social yobs - and get the boys in blue out of the police station canteens and onto the streets, where they should be, maintaining law and order!
- Mike Abbott, London, UK
Can you put this in perspective please. He didn't actually say that he was going to reverse the ban he pondered whether boroughs should allow certain bars/clubs to allow smoking. Not the same thing.
- Lou, London, UK
More backwardness from Johnson.
- Dr Susan Porter, London
A step in the wrong direction. The ban on smoking is probably saving many lives.
- Nick, London UK
The only politician that has come forward and put freedom of choice back on the menu. Well done Boris, you deserve to win.
- Peter Thurgood, London, UK
How desperate is Boris getting promising stuff he cannot possibly deliver like this?
- Chipper, London
He could do better by just keeping the ban, but allowing businesses to remove all the signs saying that smoking is banned. We know its banned, it was in the newspapers, and on the television! These signs are everywhere, and are totally unnecessary, and a blight on the city.
We don't see signs screwed to every building saying 'No Murdering', so why does ever building have to have signs saying 'No Smoking'?
- Roger, Guildford
Boris, you were doing so well. Don't go and blow it all now by talking about reversing the (very popular) smoking ban. Instead you should be talking about strengthening it by banning smoking in all outdoor public spaces as well. I feel nauseous when walking behind stinking smokers. They are often so careless with their hot ash that on several occasions my clothes or skin have been burned - as they carelessly wave their fags around and then discard them as litter onto the street.
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
I'm a non smoker but have never agreed with the blanket smoking ban. I think the decision should be with the pub landlords and what's wrong with having smoking pubs and non smoking pubs where people can choose for themselves where they want to go? Good for Boris to stand up to yet another undemocratic action by this lame Government.
- Lb, London
The re-introduction of smoking in pubs, clubs and so on won't ever happen, but that Boris is even considering this is a huge backwards step. I have been an unquestioning supporter of Boris from the start, but with some of his recent comments questions marks are starting to circle my head.
- Stephen, London
