Sam Leith Sam Leith

The war on smokers has gone too far

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner smokes a cigarette (Getty)

You’d think, wouldn’t you, that after winning a giant mandate from the electorate and having not yet done anything to wick off the people who don’t already hate him, our new Prime Minister might like to bask in a few weeks of good vibes. Things, after all, can only get worse from here. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel like Mister Popular for a bit? 

The original ban on smoking indoors was illiberal, but it was illiberal to a very legible purpose

Sir Keir Starmer, it seems, has a stronger character than would to succumb to that temptation. Already, even his own cabinet ministers are briefing that they think he’s laying the gloom on a bit thick, and that as the Prime Minister voted in on (presumably) a brief to improve everyone’s miserable lot, it would do for him to offer a bit of good cheer and optimism. 

Well. The calculation he is making is, I suppose, as follows.

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