MP gives his backing to defeated smoking proposal
By Kingswood People | Friday, October 15, 2010, 07:00
KINGSWOOD MP Chris Skidmore has backed an attempt in Parliament to overturn the smoking ban in pubs and private members clubs.
The Conservative politician voted in support of a motion to introduce a Bill in the Commons that would give pub landlords the right to choose whether or not to allow people to smoke on their premises.
It would have allowed smoking in separate designated rooms fitted with air extraction equipment but would have kept dining rooms smoke-free.
Mr Skidmore said: “If an ordinary working man wants to go down the pub and have a pint and a cigarette then they should be able to.
“It is about freedom and about having the choice to make decisions about your own life. Of course, there must also be provisions to stop other people being affected by smoke, but I don’t see anything wrong with having a separate smoking room in a pub.”
But the motion to introduce the Public Houses and Private Members’ Clubs (Smoking) Bill was defeated by 141 votes to 86.
Labour’s Kevin Barron opposed the Bill and said the argument had been considered by the House when the legislation was debated in 2006.
Pointing to Spain, where a smoking ban exempts small bars and restaurants, he said: “The law has not been seen as a success and public dissatisfaction with the exemptions has resulted in the Spanish Government proposing to extend the ban to all pubs and restaurants.”
