Health Bill

I strongly advise the hon. Gentleman to talk to the candidates for the leadership of his own party. The hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes) said:"““Personally, I won’t be voting for the smoking ban.””" The right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) said that it is entirely sensible to make some places available for people to smoke in. However, he also thought that we should not necessarily extend the ban to private clubs. The hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Oaten), when he was a candidate for the leadership, said:"““A lot of my colleagues would support a ban on smoking””—" indeed, his manifesto said so—"““but as a liberal I’m uncomfortable with that””." It appears to be only the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) among the Liberal leadership candidates who supports his party manifesto on the subject.