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BRITS will be allowed to continue sparking up in beer gardens, Wes Streeting confirmed today.
But a new smoking ban will be imposed outside playgrounds, schools and hospitals.
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The latest Labour U-turn marks a victory for booze bosses who have campaigned against the clampdown since The Sun first revealed the plans earlier this year.
And today Mr Streeting effectively credited The Sun for changing his mind.
He told Times Radio: “One of the happy consequences of a Government leak, which is exactly what happened over the course of the summer in terms of the discussions we were having on outdoor hospitality, is that we were effectively able to start the debate on it and start the consultation on it early.
“One of the things that we have to weigh up – and we’ll be weighing up when it comes to public health – the upside benefits in terms of benefits to public health and any downside risks, particularly in terms of people’s liberties and livelihoods.
“And I think it is no secret that UK hospitality has had a battering in recent years with the pandemic, and also the challenges in the economy and in people’s pockets means that there’s an ongoing challenge,
“So we judged that on balance, this wasn’t the right time to go ahead with an outdoor ban, so we’re not going to be consulting on that.”
The screeching U-turn confirmation comes just one day after Sir Keir Starmer back-tracked on his former pledge to scrap university tuition fees and instead decided to raise them.
Students expressed fury as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson declared the cost of an undergraduate degree shoot up from £9,250 to £9,535 per year.
Vape adverts and sponsorship will also be banned under legislation introduced to Parliament today.
It will also give ministers powers to curb fruity flavours that appeal directly to children, as well as on-the-spot fines for shops caught selling to kids.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban anyone born after January 2009 from ever being able to legally buy fags, eventually phasing out smoking.
The 2007 indoor smoking ban will be extended to outdoor areas including school, hospitals and playparks subject to consultation.
These areas could also be made vape-free.
Health Secretary Mr Streeting said: “Unless we act to help people stay healthy, the rising tide of ill-health in our society threatens to overwhelm and bankrupt our NHS.
“Prevention is better than cure.
“This government is taking bold action to create the first smoke free generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of secondhand smoke.”
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