Am I in the wrong place as a Labour supporter?!?

Hello,

I’m someone who is absolutely furious about the smoking ban. I’m also a lifelong Labour Party supporter. There’s something that’s puzzling me, when I’m on this website and the others of a similar kind. Why is it that everyone seems so anti-Labour?

Of course I understand that it was Labour who introduced the ban, to my disgust. But is everyone seriously suggesting that the Conservatives or Lib Dems would have done anything different?

Are the governments who have brought in smoking bans in the US and Europe all socialist?

Have any of the other political parties gone on record to say that they will repeal the ban?

Take the London mayoral race – why is the campaign on this site focused on getting Labour out of power? Have the other candidates publicly stated that they are going to campaign against the ban?

I’ve joined Forest, Freedom to Choose etc because I feel so strongly that we should be entitled to a proportion of smoking venues/areas, and I would like to campaign for this (even though I support the right of non-smokers to smoke-free venues too). But sometimes, I must admit I feel as if I’ve stumbled into a whole Party Political agenda which wasn’t my intention, and where I don’t feel too comfortable or welcome!

If folks could shed any light, I’d be most grateful, because I do want to be actively involved in trying to fight the ban, but not if this means also signing up to a more general “Labour-bashing” agenda!

Sincerely,

Rose

Hello Rose,

There are many protest groups at the moment all trying different approaches to the smoking ban and they are putting in a lot of hard work to produce the results that we all want, a return to freedom of choice to non smokers as well as smokers.

With regard to the political aspect the Labour party are in power and they are the only party that people can protest to at the moment, no point in protesting to Conservatives or Lib Dems. Labour are also the party that indicated some freedom of choice in various venues in their manifesto but took the choice away.

If another party gains power then I would expect smokers and their supporters to apply the same pressure whether it be Conservative, Lib Dems or any other party.

You are certainly not in the wrong place as a Labour Supporter, hope you will not be discouraged in trying to fight the ban in the way that you feel most comfortable.

Regards B7

www.freewebs.com/botswana7

I too am a Labour supporter Rose. But that doesn't mean that I support everything that do.

Out of the two major parties, I think I will always support Labour, but I hate this law, and think it so unjust that I would willingly give my vote to the Conservatives if I thought they would do something about it.

Thanks both, you've made me feel more comfortable!

I was always a labour supporter, but no more after this ban.

It was labour who broke its manifesto promise over the private clubs and non-food pubs
It was labout who hand-picked and funded the review committee (all anti-smoking groups) to lobby MPs
It was labour who encouraged the review committee to consider the signs and stickers making it much harder for anyone genuinely trying to give up smoking to do so.
It was labour who heralded the ban as a 'triumph for this New Labour Government'
It is labour who have silenced the press against anyone who tries to get the truth out
It is labour who are continuing to ignore the violence, hate-crime, business failures, social exclusion that is occurring as a result
It is the labour ministers who will not debate this subject
It is the labour ministers who turn a blind eye to science
It is the labour ministers who are continuing to say that the ban is a success
It is labour who have socially excluded many of the British citizens
It is the labour government that are now trying to extend the ban

Labour may try to hide behind the Free Vote of all MPs, but it was labour who arranged for the initial brainwashing

Yes, it was, and I'm angry about it too.

But is there any evidence that the Tories or Lib Dems would have acted any differently? I understand that Labour are the target because they're the ones in power, but a lot of the rhetoric I read seems stronger than that.

I know that in my council the labour controlling party are trying to extend the ban into more areas, but the tories are blocking it. I was also led to believe that as a percentage of MPs voting on the ban, the labour MPs voted highest for a blanket ban.
Yes, I know they were the controlling party and nobody knows what would have happened if they hadn't have been in power. It is the labour party now though who are even refusing to admit the problems that are occurring as a result and are ignore emails and appeals from smokers

helend498 wrote:I know that in my council the labour controlling party are trying to extend the ban into more areas, but the tories are blocking it. I was also led to believe that as a percentage of MPs voting on the ban, the labour MPs voted highest for a blanket ban.
Yes, I know they were the controlling party and nobody knows what would have happened if they hadn't have been in power. It is the labour party now though who are even refusing to admit the problems that are occurring as a result and are ignore emails and appeals from smokers

If you want to see exactly which MPs voted for and against the ban, have a look here http://www.thesmokermagazine.co.uk/Page2.html

Oh that's really useful - thanks. So the Tories were in fact the only party to cover themselves in glory. Gosh, food for thought ...