Keir Starmer has reacted to questions about a Labour plan to ban outdoor smoking in places such as pub gardens, parks, outside hospitals and restaurant terraces.
Mr Starmer said during interview:
My starting point on this is to remind everyone that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking. That's a preventable death. It's a huge burden on the NHS, and, of course, it's a burden on the taxpayer. So, yes, we are going to take decisions in this space. More details will be revealed, but this is a preventable, series of deaths, and we've got to take the action to reduce the burden on the NHS and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.
Look. I think it's important to get the balance right, but everybody watching this who uses the NHS will know that it's on its knees. We have to relieve the burden, and that's why I spoke before the election about moving to a preventative model when it comes to health.
I want the NHS back on its feet, but I also want it fit for the next, you know, 75 years just as we've had a a brilliant 75 years, already. And that means taking action in relation to preventable, deaths, and these are 80,000 a year preventable deaths.
This has brought condemnation from several angles.
GB News presenter Patrick Christys posted to X: "So he won’t stop the boats, he won’t stop knife crime, he can’t stop brazen drug use in public, but he will criminalise you smoking in a pub garden. What next? No takeaways after midnight? Keir Starmer looks like an authoritarian control freak."
Former aide to Margaret Thatcher, Nile Gardiner, also posted to X: "Keir Starmer is already a disaster as PM.
"Starmer’s Approval Sinks To Lowest Level This Year.
"53% think that Labour is 'somewhat or very corrupt.'"
https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1829121251232636996
https://twitter.com/PatrickChristys/status/1829115864685125902
https://twitter.com/NileGardiner/status/1828891826738090163
