Chris Williamson, friend or foe?

Between now and the General Election on May 7 I'm highlighting a series of 'target seats', those where the candidate standing for re-election has supported anti-tobacco policies, and those where a leading candidate is an opponent of excessive lifestyle regulations and policies that infantilise us all. With a few exceptions I'm focussing on marginal or semi-marginal seats.

#34 – Derby North
Chris Williamson is one of those fairly anonymous backbench MPs who pops up now and again to pontificate in apocalyptic terms on issues of grave national importance. When, for example, the government postponed the introduction of plain packaging in 2013 Williamson described it as "a shameful capitulation to the merchants of death!" No surprise then that he voted for the measure in 2015 and voted against an amendment to the smoking ban in 2010. Williamson believes a new tax should be levied on fast food, tobacco and chewing gum to help councils clear up litter, and after that? Hopefully we'll never find out.

2010 majority: 613 (1.4%)
Estimated number of smokers in Derby North: 14,288*.
Principal opponents: Conservative
Friend or foe: Foe
Target rating: Extremely vulnerable

*Based on 20% of the registered electorate in 2010

Note: marginal seats have been defined as those with majorities of 10% or less that require a swing of 5% for the incumbent party to lose.