Going for Gold

Further to yesterday's post about the muted reaction to the Government's decision (tbc) not to introduce plain packaging.

There is a delicious moment in any campaign when opponents lose all sense of perspective and go completely bonkers, destroying their position with the sheer absurdity of their argument.

That moment happened yesterday when journalist Tanya Gold added her long awaited thoughts to the plain packaging debate.

Writing for the Guardian's Comment Is Free website (where else?), she began:

Coalition government acts as an agent for Big Tobacco .. I do not think it is mad to call its actions murderous."

Further comment is superfluous but you can read the full article here: Death is the tobacco companies' business.

I read it last night whilst watching Endeavour (another whodunnit with murder afoot) so I got a bit distracted, but those opening sentences say it all. Who needs friends when you've got enemies like this?!

Scraping the barrel even further, I also read an article on Politics.co.uk.

Written by Andy Lloyd, media, communications and social marketing manager for Fresh, the taxpayer-funded anti-smoking group, it contains the usual bleating including the statement that:

While the 'nanny state' is often the cry of Big Tobacco's paid front groups it's important to stress the massive public support for doing more to stop children from smoking.

They don't get it, do they? Of course there is public support for doing more to stop children from smoking.

Common sense suggests there are very few people who wouldn't support further measures to discourage children from smoking, if they're reasonable.

But plain packaging isn't reasonable. It's unreasonable because - among other things - there's no credible evidence it will work.

In fact there is reason to believe it could be counter-productive, encouraging illicit trade, and we all know (or should know) that black market traders sell cigarettes to anyone, including children.

Five hundred thousand people clearly agreed because they took the trouble to sign petitions against plain packaging. Compare that to the 220,000 (approximately) who were said to be in favour.

If Lloyd is suggesting that those 500,000 people are stooges of Big Tobacco I think he should get out a bit more and meet some ordinary people.

But it's given me an idea. In future we should refer to ASH, Fresh et al as "Big Government's paid front groups". That's what they are, after all.

Full article: Big Tobacco's victory over plain packaging will get more teens hooked.

PS. Belatedly the Express today reports that David Cameron stubs out plan for cigarettes in plain packets.

It includes comments from me, my colleague Angela Harbutt and Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute of Economic Affairs, who says, “The Prime Minister should be applauded for vetoing this absurd proposal.”

Compare this with Tanya Gold's intemperate remark, "I do not think it is mad to call [the Government's] actions murderous."

In all seriousness, I wonder which comment No 10 will take most kindly to?

Doh!