Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey wary of a proposed extending of the smoking ban 'going over the top'.
Smoking outside nightclubs and on restaurant terraces could be outlawed. Shisha bars are under threat and pavements are in line to be smoke-free zonesWeatherspoon boss Tim Martin has said Labour 's plans to outlaw smoking in pub gardens will barely impact the nationwide chain - labelling it a 'libertarian issue'.
The plans have evoked outrage from pub landlords, politicians and hospitality chiefs alike, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage branding it 'the end of pubs.' The shock move is expected to spark fury towards Starmer's party - with criticism of 'nanny state' politics and memos from the Business Department already warning the hospitality sector could be hit.
Pavements beside universities and hospitals, restaurant terraces and shisha bars are also expected to be made smoke-free zones - as the new Labour government cracks down even harder than Rishi Sunak planned. 'This raises the critical question: Are we on the brink of becoming a nanny state? What is next? While these measures may rightly be driven by public health considerations, they risk dividing opinion and imposing yet another regulatory burden on businesses already facing considerable challenges.
'So where there's been a heavy investment made in the period post-Covid into creating those outside areas, which have brought so much light and life to our town centres and high streets, and this would be a very significant impact on those customers that use those areas, both smokers and non smokers.'
'Extending the ban to beer gardens could force many more pubs to close. If the government extends the smoking ban to outdoor areas, Britain will no longer be a nanny state. There have been warnings the plans could further damage Britain's hospitality sector. Pictured: File photo Tom Stainer, head of Campaign for Real Ale, said that although the ban is unconfirmed, he would urge the government to prioritise reducing taxation on beer and reforming unfair business rates before instilling measures which could 'encourage encourage more people to drink and smoke at home.'
'However, I understand the concern around the potential ban in pub gardens and for shisha bars in particular, both of which are often the hubs of the communities they serve and I would encourage policy makers to publish full details quickly to stave off any misunderstandings that may have arisen from this leak.'
'We know from experience that this restriction would have a devastating impact for pubs who are already struggling with soaring energy prices and the staggering cost of doing business. The report also mentions vape-free zones, although it is unclear whether the ban could also include e-cigarettes.Mark Brennan, who has smoked since he was 18, said: 'This will harm the hospitality industry.
But George Brown, a 35-year-old smoker from Newcastle praised the proposals. The store worker said: 'Weirdly enough I think it's a good thing. 'It won't ruin the pub industry. If that's the industries' issue with it then there must be more issues at play as people don't go to the pub to smoke anymore.
Lee Teasdale, 47, a watch repairer said: 'It's another law they're going to pass that takes away more freedom. She said: 'Imposing nanny state regulation like this on pubs and restaurants would not only be wrong but economically damaging. Anita Boateng, former Conservative special adviser, told the BBC: 'It feels a very draconian step for people who are adults who can make decisions and who can legally smoke. The point is you are in an outside area of a pub garden in a walled off area. You don't have to stand there if you don't want to experience second-hand smoking.'
Dr Layla McCay, of the NHS Confederation, said she was 'obviously in favour of measures that help abolish smoking'. A recent impact assessment has even found that banning smoking outdoors could cost jobs and force even more pubs to close, the tabloid reports. Read MoreEXCLUSIVE The smoking ban divide: Parents hail Rishi Sunak's 'smoke-free generation' plan as it passes Commons hurdle - but critics say it infringes on freedom He is said to have the backing of Chief Medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, while ministers will argue that the economic benefits outweigh its potential costs.
Read More Dawn of the £20 pack of cigarettes: London smokers face coughing up £1 every time they pop 'out for a snout' The country has a target of becoming 'smoke-free' by 2030 - where only five per cent of the nation would have cigarettes.No Labour MPs voted against the Tories' anti-smoking legislation in April.
Starmer is said to have the backing of Chief Medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, while ministers will argue that the economic benefits outweigh its potential costs But many people are unaware that nearly half of those deaths, around three million, are due to heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes.
Data from the charity shows there were around 57,600 diagnoses of cancers caused by smoking in 2023, compared to 49,325 in 2003. Some feared that health chiefs could eye up crackdowns on sugar, caffeine and alcohol next, calling the move a 'slippery slope'. 2015: Smoking in cars with children banned in England and ban on the display of tobacco in small shops comes into force throughout the UK
He told MailOnline: 'The public have not been properly asked whether they want their liberties to be infringed in this unprecedented manner. 'Pubs and other private venues should be able to determine their own outdoor smoking rules – just as they should be allowed to decide whether to play music, serve food, or show football on TV.
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health president, Professor Steve Turner, said: 'This is a major milestone towards realising the government's ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history.
News Nigel Farage NHS Rishi Sunak Labour Robert Jenrick
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