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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Cherie to challenge smoking ban | Cherie to challenge smoking ban |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Cherie Blair has been hired by an erotic nightclub to challenge the smoking ban about to come into force in enclosed public places in England. | Cherie Blair has been hired by an erotic nightclub to challenge the smoking ban about to come into force in enclosed public places in England. |
| Dave West, who runs the HeyJo nightclub in London, believes the ban will breach the rights of staff and his guests. | Dave West, who runs the HeyJo nightclub in London, believes the ban will breach the rights of staff and his guests. |
| Mr West told BBC Radio Five Live Mrs Blair was a "big champion of human rights" and she agreed with his stance. | Mr West told BBC Radio Five Live Mrs Blair was a "big champion of human rights" and she agreed with his stance. |
| Mrs Blair will be acting as his barrister under her professional name Cherie Booth QC. | Mrs Blair will be acting as his barrister under her professional name Cherie Booth QC. |
| The prime minister's wife, who famously made Mr Blair quit cigarettes as a condition of their marriage, said: "I think everyone well knows my views on smoking. But I keep to the rules of my profession." | |
| Mrs Blair spoke as she marked the launch of Saturday's International Widows Day in London. | |
| Flagship policy | Flagship policy |
| Mr West approached Matrix Chambers, where Cherie Booth is a founding member, to ask them to take on the case. | |
| The smoking ban, which comes into force on 1 July, is one of her husband, Prime Minister Tony Blair's, flagship health policies. | The smoking ban, which comes into force on 1 July, is one of her husband, Prime Minister Tony Blair's, flagship health policies. |
| I want to eyeball the authorities and am calling on other nightclubs to join me in the challenge Dave West, nightclub owner | |
| But Mr West, who made his fortune from a discount alcohol and tobacco business in Calais, told BBC Radio Five Live: "Her husband is one thing. She has a right to her own opinion to pursue her own job and that is to defend the working man." | But Mr West, who made his fortune from a discount alcohol and tobacco business in Calais, told BBC Radio Five Live: "Her husband is one thing. She has a right to her own opinion to pursue her own job and that is to defend the working man." |
| After taking on the case Mrs Blair visited the £4m club in St James', central London, which 63-year-old Mr West describes as an "adult Alice in Wonderland". | After taking on the case Mrs Blair visited the £4m club in St James', central London, which 63-year-old Mr West describes as an "adult Alice in Wonderland". |
| Mr West fears the smoking ban, which will be introduced on 1 July, will force him to close it and his adjoining restaurant Abracadabra. | Mr West fears the smoking ban, which will be introduced on 1 July, will force him to close it and his adjoining restaurant Abracadabra. |
| 'Disturbance' risk | |
| He told the Daily Mirror: "There is no room for manoeuvre when the ban comes in. I will be fined £2,500 each time it is breached. | He told the Daily Mirror: "There is no room for manoeuvre when the ban comes in. I will be fined £2,500 each time it is breached. |
| "The only way for patrons to smoke after July 1 is by going out on the pavement and that could land me in trouble with the police if it creates noise or disturbance. | "The only way for patrons to smoke after July 1 is by going out on the pavement and that could land me in trouble with the police if it creates noise or disturbance. |
| "I want to eyeball the authorities and am calling on other nightclubs to join me in the challenge." | "I want to eyeball the authorities and am calling on other nightclubs to join me in the challenge." |
| A Matrix chambers spokeswoman said she took on the case under the "cab rank rule" - meaning it was the next available case and fell to her only by chance. | |
| She added: "At the client's request she undertook a site visit, which was part of advising on the case." | She added: "At the client's request she undertook a site visit, which was part of advising on the case." |