Tory MPs tell Rishi Sunak to ditch smoking ban and focus on voters’ priorities | Politics | News [Video]

Conservative MPs have launched a new push to persuade Rishi Sunak to abandon his pet smoking ban policy, pointing to the party’s recent local election wipeout as proof voters want traditional conservative red meat.

While Mr Sunak won the Commons vote in April that will make smoking illegal for anyone born after 2009, 59 Tory rebels caused embarrassment for the Prime Minister.

Senior ministers voted against the policy, including leadership contender Kemi Badenoch, who said she had “significant concerns” about the legal implications of the ban.

She warned against the unequal rights for adults that the Bill will create, with some over the age of 18 having different freedoms to others.

Two MPs have now told the Express that Mr Sunak should see the recent local election results as proof voters want traditional conservative policies, and not the nannying left-wing smoking ban.

Greg Smith MP said: “The local election results were undeniably tough to take but we must look forward in …