If Lansley is "open-minded" on plain packaging I'm a banana
We were expecting the Department of Health to launch its consultation on plain packaging on Monday.
That will still happen but the story has broken early after health secretary Andrew Lansley gave an interview to The Times for its Saturday edition that the paper suddenly brought forward to today. Hence this morning's reports.
The Independent is one of many newspapers to feature the story online (with a quote fro me) – Government moves to stub out cigarette branding.
Update: Plain pack consultation "threatens to be a farce"
Update: As others have pointed out, not all Tory MPs are like Lansley - see Mark Field's article on ConservativeHome.
Update: The BBC has updated its report to include quotes from the TMA and Forest. See Cigarette packet branding to face consultation.
Update: Pro-smoking group: 'People are sick of being nannied' (ITV News)
Forest's press release in full:
NEWS RELEASE Immediate Release Friday 13th April 2012
PLAIN PACKAGING CONSULTATION "THREATENS TO BE A FARCE" SAY CAMPAIGNERS
+ Smokers' group urges consumers and retailers to "defend Britain from excessive regulation"
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest which runs the Hands Off Our Packs campaign, said:
"The consultation on plain packaging threatens to be a farce. Andrew Lansley says he is open minded yet he clearly supports plain packaging even before the consultation has begun.
"Hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money has been spent in one region alone trying to persuade people to support plain packaging. Government is effectively using taxpayers' money to lobby itself. This scandalous abuse of public money must stop now.
"Plain packaging is another step towards the denormalisation of a legal product. It is yet another attack on ten million adult consumers.
"The consultation on plain packaging has nothing to do with health. It's all about Andrew Lansley. The health secretary is using the consultation to curry favour with health professionals, many of whom are less than impressed with the changes he is making to the NHS.
"He possibly believes that by extending the war on tobacco he will buy himself some time to win their support.
"Despite our cynicism we urge consumers and retailers to make their voices heard and help defend Britain from excessive regulation."