Wes Street was left gobsmacked on GB News when Eamonn Holmes challenged the Health Secretary on the Government's new smoking ban legislation, questioning whether it "goes far enough."
Labour is introducing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to Parliament today. It aims to create a "smoke-free generation" by phasing out tobacco sales to anyone born after 2009 and banning smoking in certain outdoor areas.
Speaking about the bill, Streeting told Eamonn and Isabel this morning: "I think this is a groundbreaking piece of legislation and necessary because despite all of the progress we've seen on smoking over years under different governments, we still see smoking as the single biggest killer 80,000 deaths a year.
"One in four cancers directly attributable to smoking and two thirds of smokers are killed by their addiction."
Wes Streeting was left gobsmacked by Eamonn Holmes
GB News
Eamonn then questioned: "Are you just fiddling with this? Why don't you just ban smoking? I mean, if it's so awful, if it's a single biggest killer, why don't you just, fully fledged, do something about it?"
Streeting responded: "I never expected that I would come on GB News and be accused of not going far enough on clamping down on smoking. I think we've got the balance right here.
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"The thing about smoking and tobacco is that it is a uniquely addictive and a uniquely harmful substance. People who take it up the vast majority say they wish they hadn't.
"They also struggle to kick the habit. Which is why for children and young people, phasing out altogether is the right thing to do.
"For adults, who who already smoke, putting in place the support they need to stop smoking is the right balance, I think, between public health, lives, livelihoods and liberties as well.
"We've got to take action on public health because of the cost to the taxpayer, for cost to the health service and of course, the cost to our quality of life.
Eamonn Holmes grilled the MP for not going far enough
GB News
"In doing so, we will consistently consult people on the impact on their liberties and also livelihoods as well, because we've got to get the balance right."
The bill includes measures to restrict vape advertising, flavours, and packaging to make them less appealing to children. A consultation will examine how to limit vape flavours, with options including restricting them to tobacco, mint, menthol and fruit.
Disposable vapes are set to be banned from 1 June 2025 under separate environmental legislation.
The Government will introduce a licensing scheme for retailers selling tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Plans to ban smoking in pub gardens have been dropped following concerns from the hospitality industry
GettyThis will allow for on-the-spot fines of £200 for retailers selling to underage customers.
Plans to ban smoking in pub gardens have been dropped following concerns from the hospitality industry.
The Government argues that smoking puts immense pressure on the NHS, costing taxpayers £3.1billion annually in treatments and appointments.
Smoking also impacts the wider economy, with £18billion lost in productivity each year.
