Keir Starmer's anti-smokers crusade will be the death knell for our pubs

There has been no consultation, no debate, and too little thought put into the decision to ban outdoor smoking. Apart from this proposal being a significant infringement on individual freedom of choice, the knock-on effect on the hospitality industry will be disastrous. A much higher proportion of pubgoers smoke compared to the general population. In an effort to retain their custom, most pubs have invested real money in building smoking shelters and providing outdoor spaces.

As a pub regular, I visited the Westminster Arms last night, a place I've frequented for 30 years. I enjoyed my pint and a smoke on the pavement outside. If that becomes banned, I won’t bother to go there again. I'm one of many, and this would be the death knell for the traditional pub. Every pub serves as a kind of parliament where we gather to discuss the issues of the day, and the nation will be much poorer for losing this communal space.

Both Sunak and Starmer were determined to wage their war on smoking, yet neither ever addresses the illegal drugs epidemic. They attack legal activities because they've given up on dealing with illegal ones.

If you criminalise smoking and heavily tax the product, you hand the trade over to gangs. This has already happened in Australia, where there have been 97 firebomb attacks on shops selling under-the-counter cigarettes. Is this really what the Prime Minister wants?'