MPs hold event to change smoking ban

By Jessica Harvey

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Smoking ban House of lords

Campaigners want ventilated rooms
Campaigners want ventilated rooms
MPs from the three main political parties joined forces on Wednesday to support the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign to change the smoking ban....

MPs from the three main political parties joined forces on Wednesday to support the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign to change the smoking ban.

The event, held at the House of Commons, marked the fourth anniversary of smoking ban in England and saw the Rt Hon Greg Knight, Conservative MP for East Yorkshire, Roger Godsiff, Labour MP for Birmingham Hall Green, and John Hemming, Liberal Democrat MP for Birmingham Yardley, hosting a reception for over 200 supporters of the campaign which lobbies MPs for a review of the ban and an amendement of the legislation.

Attendees. which included publicans and members of the Clubs & Institute Union Organisers, discussed how the ban has had a devastating impact on community pubs throughout Britain.

Speaking at the event Roger Godsiff, Labour member for Birmingham Hall Green said: "The reason I am more than happy to support this campaign is because I believe that the British tradition of pubs, working men's clubs and other places where people can meet is a very important tradition that I would like to keep going.

"For somebody to have the opportunity of going into a pub and having a drink is also not putting smoke in somebody else's face but being able to go to a separate room where they can smoke, whether it be a cigarette, a pipe or a cigar, I can see absolutely nothing at all wrong with that."

Simon Clark, director of Save Our Pubs & Clubs, said: "Campaigners said they want a review of the ban and an amendment to the legislation that would give pubs and private members' clubs the option of having separate, well-ventilated smoking rooms. The Government should review the ban and consider a change in the law that would allow separate smoking rooms in pubs and clubs."

Related topics Legislation

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