We should have been in Majorca this week where it’s 23 degrees and sunny.

Instead, due to unforeseen circumstances, we spent a few days in Somerset where it was 13 degrees and overcast with a hint of drizzle.

To mark the start of the committee stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the House of Lords this week, Forest has published a new paper, The Price of Prohibition.

Written by Rob Lyons, it addresses the possible impact of a generational tobacco ban on retail crime and the black market, and the potential for the type of tobacco turf wars we have witnessed in Australia.

In August and September Forest commissioned a series of polls.

The results, published today, coincide with the start of the committee stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the House of Lords.

Hull has been branded the ‘capital of counterfeit cigs’.

That was a week ago. Since then the Tobacco Manufacturers Association has published the results of its annual survey of 6,000 smokers which include the revelation that there has been a surge in illicit tobacco consumption in the last year.

Six weeks ago I was interviewed, via Zoom, by a journalist from Tobacco magazine in Hungary.

We talked about a lot of things, including Forest, the generational ban, and illicit trade. Part one has been published in the October issue of the magazine, but there’s an English version online, if you’re interested..

The Spectator has just published a book entitled ‘Best of Notes on … from kippers to jeans and everything in between’.

It’s illustrated by legendary cartoonist Michael Heath who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, and features contributions from the likes of Rod Liddle, James Delingpole, Julie Burchill and … my son.

The New Statesman last week announced the launch of a new gossip column.

They’re calling it The Hitch ‘to honour one of our greatest contributors by keeping his spirit alive’, but they’ve run into a bit of trouble.

Update: They’ve changed The Hitch to The Pygge!

According to reports, Nestlé is to cut 16,000 jobs over the next two years.

If you’re wondering why this should interest me it’s because my father spent his entire career working for the company.