This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/04/cigarette-lobby-plain-packs
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| No 10 accused of 'caving in' to cigarette lobby as plain packs put on hold | No 10 accused of 'caving in' to cigarette lobby as plain packs put on hold |
| (5 months later) | |
| Anti-smoking campaigners have accused the government of caving in to pressure from the tobacco lobby and running scared of Ukip after plans to enforce the sale of cigarettes in plain packs failed to make it into the Queen's speech. | Anti-smoking campaigners have accused the government of caving in to pressure from the tobacco lobby and running scared of Ukip after plans to enforce the sale of cigarettes in plain packs failed to make it into the Queen's speech. |
| Minutes released by the Department of Health show that one of the industry's leading players had told government officials that, if the move went through, it would source its packaging from abroad, resulting in "significant job losses." | Minutes released by the Department of Health show that one of the industry's leading players had told government officials that, if the move went through, it would source its packaging from abroad, resulting in "significant job losses." |
| Cancer charities and health experts were expecting a bill to be introduced last week that would ban branded cigarette packaging, following a ban introduced in Australia last December. At least one health minister had been briefing that the bill would be in the Queen's speech. But the bill was apparently put on hold at the last minute with the government saying it would be a distraction from its main legislative priorities. | Cancer charities and health experts were expecting a bill to be introduced last week that would ban branded cigarette packaging, following a ban introduced in Australia last December. At least one health minister had been briefing that the bill would be in the Queen's speech. But the bill was apparently put on hold at the last minute with the government saying it would be a distraction from its main legislative priorities. |
| Ukip, which enjoyed considerable success in last week's elections, has positioned itself firmly on the side of smokers and there is a suspicion that the Tories scrapped the plan because they did not want to be seen as anti-smoking. | Ukip, which enjoyed considerable success in last week's elections, has positioned itself firmly on the side of smokers and there is a suspicion that the Tories scrapped the plan because they did not want to be seen as anti-smoking. |
| It has emerged that senior Department of Health officials held four key meetings with the industry's leading players in January and February, when at least one of the tobacco giants spelled out to the government that its plan would result in thousands of jobs going abroad. | It has emerged that senior Department of Health officials held four key meetings with the industry's leading players in January and February, when at least one of the tobacco giants spelled out to the government that its plan would result in thousands of jobs going abroad. |
| Department of Health minutes released last week reveal that Imperial Tobacco, British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International were each invited to make representations to the government, in which they attacked the plan and its impact on the UK economy. | Department of Health minutes released last week reveal that Imperial Tobacco, British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International were each invited to make representations to the government, in which they attacked the plan and its impact on the UK economy. |
| Only the minutes of the meeting with Imperial have been released. They record that Imperial warned if plain packs were introduced it would source packaging from the Far East resulting "in significant job losses in the UK." | Only the minutes of the meeting with Imperial have been released. They record that Imperial warned if plain packs were introduced it would source packaging from the Far East resulting "in significant job losses in the UK." |
| The tobacco giant also outlined how its packaging research and development department supported small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK and argued that standard packs would "result in some of these being put out of business". | The tobacco giant also outlined how its packaging research and development department supported small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK and argued that standard packs would "result in some of these being put out of business". |
| It added that the plan would boost the illicit trade in cigarettes, which already costs the Treasury £3bn in unpaid duty and VAT a year. And it noted that 70,000 UK jobs rely on the tobacco supply chain, implying some of these would be threatened if the illicit market continued to grow. | It added that the plan would boost the illicit trade in cigarettes, which already costs the Treasury £3bn in unpaid duty and VAT a year. And it noted that 70,000 UK jobs rely on the tobacco supply chain, implying some of these would be threatened if the illicit market continued to grow. |
| When asked to hand over its assessment of the impact of the plan, Imperial refused, citing commercial sensitivity. | When asked to hand over its assessment of the impact of the plan, Imperial refused, citing commercial sensitivity. |
| The decision to delay the introduction of plain packs is a major success for the tobacco lobby, which has run a ferocious campaign against the move. Cigarette makers fear that the loss of their branding will deprive them of their most powerful marketing weapon. The industry has backed a series of front campaign groups to make it appear that there is widespread opposition to the plan, a practice known in lobbying jargon as "astroturfing". Many of the ideas were imported from Australia, where the tobacco giants fought a bitter but ultimately unsuccessful campaign to resist plain packs. Much of the Australian campaign was masterminded by the lobbying firm Crosby Textor, whose co-founder Lynton Crosby is spearheading the Tories' 2015 election bid. | The decision to delay the introduction of plain packs is a major success for the tobacco lobby, which has run a ferocious campaign against the move. Cigarette makers fear that the loss of their branding will deprive them of their most powerful marketing weapon. The industry has backed a series of front campaign groups to make it appear that there is widespread opposition to the plan, a practice known in lobbying jargon as "astroturfing". Many of the ideas were imported from Australia, where the tobacco giants fought a bitter but ultimately unsuccessful campaign to resist plain packs. Much of the Australian campaign was masterminded by the lobbying firm Crosby Textor, whose co-founder Lynton Crosby is spearheading the Tories' 2015 election bid. |
| Crosby was federal director of the Liberal party in Australia when it accepted tobacco money. Crosby Textor in Australia was paid a retainer from BAT during the campaign against plain packs. Some anti-smoking campaigners are now questioning whether the decision to drop the plain packs bill was as a result of shifting allegiances at Westminster. | Crosby was federal director of the Liberal party in Australia when it accepted tobacco money. Crosby Textor in Australia was paid a retainer from BAT during the campaign against plain packs. Some anti-smoking campaigners are now questioning whether the decision to drop the plain packs bill was as a result of shifting allegiances at Westminster. |
| "It looks as if the noxious mix of rightwing Australian populism, as represented by Crosby and his lobbying firm, and English saloon bar reactionaries, as embodied by [Nigel] Farage and Ukip, may succeed in preventing this government from proceeding with standardised cigarette packs, despite their popularity with the public," said Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the health charity Action on Smoking and Health. | "It looks as if the noxious mix of rightwing Australian populism, as represented by Crosby and his lobbying firm, and English saloon bar reactionaries, as embodied by [Nigel] Farage and Ukip, may succeed in preventing this government from proceeding with standardised cigarette packs, despite their popularity with the public," said Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the health charity Action on Smoking and Health. |
| The decision to drop the plan will become a divisive issue for the coalition because the Liberal Democrats were strongly in favour of the measure, which will still be introduced in Scotland. | The decision to drop the plan will become a divisive issue for the coalition because the Liberal Democrats were strongly in favour of the measure, which will still be introduced in Scotland. |
| It is also a concern for the government's own health adviser. "Our view is that plain packaging is one of a range of measures shown to be effective in reducing the amount of people taking up smoking," said Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, the government agency charged with helping people to live longer and more healthily. | It is also a concern for the government's own health adviser. "Our view is that plain packaging is one of a range of measures shown to be effective in reducing the amount of people taking up smoking," said Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, the government agency charged with helping people to live longer and more healthily. |
| A Department of Health spokeswoman denied that tobacco lobbying had been a factor in the decision to pull the bill. "These minutes simply reflect what the tobacco company said at the meeting, not the government's view," she said. "The government has an open mind on this issue, and any decisions to take further action will be taken only after full consideration of the evidence and the consultation responses." | A Department of Health spokeswoman denied that tobacco lobbying had been a factor in the decision to pull the bill. "These minutes simply reflect what the tobacco company said at the meeting, not the government's view," she said. "The government has an open mind on this issue, and any decisions to take further action will be taken only after full consideration of the evidence and the consultation responses." |
| WHAT IS IN THE QUEEN'S SPEECH? | WHAT IS IN THE QUEEN'S SPEECH? |
| Immigration | Immigration |
| Measures to limit benefits to some immigrants, with a focus on NHS access, expected to be announced, ahead of the lifting of transitional controls on citizens from Romania and Bulgaria, who will have full rights to work in the EU from next year. Ukip has made great play of its claim that 29 million could come to the UK from 2014. | Measures to limit benefits to some immigrants, with a focus on NHS access, expected to be announced, ahead of the lifting of transitional controls on citizens from Romania and Bulgaria, who will have full rights to work in the EU from next year. Ukip has made great play of its claim that 29 million could come to the UK from 2014. |
| Social care | Social care |
| The Department of Health will bring in a cap on social care funding. The state will intervene and pay the full costs if UK residents have already paid £72,000 towards home care or care-home fees. From April 2016, the residential care means test threshold raised from just over £23,000 to £118,000. | The Department of Health will bring in a cap on social care funding. The state will intervene and pay the full costs if UK residents have already paid £72,000 towards home care or care-home fees. From April 2016, the residential care means test threshold raised from just over £23,000 to £118,000. |
| Pensions | Pensions |
| The Queen will announce a single-tier weekly pension set at £144, also starting from 2016. This replaces the current basic pension of £107. | The Queen will announce a single-tier weekly pension set at £144, also starting from 2016. This replaces the current basic pension of £107. |
| Animals | Animals |
| The government is planning to bring in dog control legislation to make it easier to seize dangerous dogs. From April 2016, all dogs will need to be microchipped. | The government is planning to bring in dog control legislation to make it easier to seize dangerous dogs. From April 2016, all dogs will need to be microchipped. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version