[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by Chris T

At the risk of taking this thread right round in a big circle ... this legislation has been brought in as a health and safety at work measure, not a public health measure.

No, it hasn't. Hasn't anyone realised yet that it's a political issue? Or rather, that the government has made it into one? What's happened is that Bliar's government noticed that there were a great many non-smokers who would approve of such a ban. These people are voters. So they think they're doing what the voters want, in order to help ensure Labour's re-eelection. Health and safety has nothing to do with it - otherwise the ban would have been total, i.e. no more smoking, anywhere.

It'll be interesting to see what happens come the Election; how many smokers will vote Labour, I wonder?

Originally Posted by Chris T

There really is no grounds for objecting to this, it was a free vote in Parliament and is a truly democratic law.

Except that it removes freedom of choice. As a non-smoker myself, I think it would be a good idea if it really were about H & S, but I don't like the way it's been done. I don't think there was anything wrong with having areas set aside for smokers, as there was at our place. This is a draconian overreaction, typical of Labour as it is today.