Rishi Sunak's flagship smoking ban is set to be ditched because there isn't enough time for it to pass into law ahead of the General Election. The controversial Tobacco and Vapes Bill is still in the Commons, having passed its first and second reading earlier this year.It is now unlikely to make it through the Commons and the Lords by tomorrow evening, when parliamentary business ends ahead of the election on July 4.
Saving lives must transcend politics, and nothing would have a bigger impact on reducing the number of preventable deaths than ending smoking."On the first reading, MPs voted 383 to 67, giving a majority of 316, in a free vote, as several Conservative MPs rebelled . That meant those who voted against the government's position would not face punishment. Former PM Liz Truss, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick were among the 57 Tories who voted against the bill on its first reading.