Unnecessary interaction?
I don’t want to appear facetious, but this is the sort of thing that amuses me.
According to the UK Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2025, part of the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index, ‘the UK is ranked 17th globally out of 100 countries, based on evidence captured between April 2023 and March 2025'.
Gratifyingly, Forest is mentioned several times:
Multiple Members of Parliament (MPs), across multiple Parties, sponsored parliamentary receptions and events for tobacco companies such as Philip Morris International (PMI), Japan Tobacco International (JTI), and Forest.
Several MPs reportedly attended a lunch hosted by Forest.
Philip Davies, Conservative MP from 2005-2024, sponsored an event entitled ‘Nanny State of the Nation’ by Forest in February 2024. Reportedly, Giles Watling, MP until May 2024, stepped in at the last minute to host the event as Davies was unable to attend.
In May 2024, Forest held an event titled ‘Beat The Ban: Fight For Choice - A Prohibition Lunch’ at a London restaurant. Reportedly, invitees included Conservative MPs, representatives of the IEA, the ASI, and the ITPAC. Alexander Stafford - then parliamentary private secretary to Kemi Badenoch MP - and current MP, Andrew Rosindell, were reported to have attended the lunch with Philip Davies having been due to appear but was not in attendance.
At the 2024 Conservative Party Conference the TaxPayers Alliance hosted an event ‘which featured representatives from Forest and the ASI, as well as MPs Andrew Rosindell and Caroline Johnson’. (Note: for the record, Andrew Rosindell was there but Caroline Johnson wasn’t.)
Some events are listed under 'Forms of unnecessary interaction' which is a bit cheeky. Who are they to decide what meetings and events are necessary or unnecessary?! That said, I love the fact that Forest is mentioned at all because, if anything justifies our existence in 2025 (our 46th year), it’s stuff like this.
Hopefully the next Index will record the following:
In May 2025, Forest held an event entitled ‘Freedom Up In Smoke’ (above) at a London restaurant. At least eight peers were reported to have attended the lunch, during which former Conservative MP Philip Davies received a special award for services to individual freedom. (On that occasion he did turn up!)
Reform UK’s party conference, which took place in September 2025, included an event hosted by Forest titled ‘Politics and Prohibition: The Fight for Choice’, which featured Baroness Fox (Academy of Ideas), Joanna Marchong (TPA), former MEP Brian Monteith, and Dr Chris Snowdon (IEA).
At the Conservative Party Conference in October 2025 Forest and the TaxPayers Alliance hosted a similar event which featured representatives from Forest and the TPA, as well as broadcaster Duncan Barkes and MP Jack Rankin.
They don’t even need to do any research. I’ve done it for them!
