No smoke-ban extension

It's hard to know what to make of last week's bombshell "hint" that Government might also be banning smoking outside very shortly. But the safest reaction is to be very concerned indeed.

Let's face it: the smoking ban in public places has been driven by health fanatics all the way. It's this lobby that's won battle after battle. And if they are now pressing hard to follow one victory quickly with another, then all the millions of pounds of current investment in outside areas may never generate the returns that operators are gambling on.

Faced with this shattering bolt from the blue, the trade needs to be equally aggressive in fighting back against what would be a disastrous step for thousands of licensees.

The Government seemed to be saying that once the inside ban has been in place for an unspecified period, it would consider extending it to outside areas where people are congregating in clusters. The example given was of smokers outside office entrances fugging-up the air of people entering those offices: this could be

disallowed, it seems.

Just writing that shows how ludicrous the idea is. But there's method in the madness of the anti-smokers - and the truth is that they will not rest until smoking has been outlawed completely in this country.

That's not what the majority of people want. And not even the majority of people who don't smoke. Most are happy to recognise that smokers have the right to enjoy their habit, as long as it does not harm others. So for the Government to allow itself to surrender to the fanatics in this shabby and deceitful way is totally undemocratic - and must be resisted by everyone who cares for the way this country is being run.

We need urgent clarification from Government of exactly what is going on and what deals are being done behind the back of the trade in non-smoke-filled rooms. Is there a secret agenda with the health lobby? Has the trade been duped in its dealings with the Department of Health? Until we know for sure either way, it's best to assume that we must shout and scream very loudly against this potentially disastrous extension of the ban.