Sir Keir Starmer is set to ditch proposals to ban smoking in outdoor spaces such as pub gardens, according to reports in The Sun.
The government announced it would “take decisions” on a potential outdoor smoking ban in an effort to curb preventable deaths and alleviate pressures on the NHS in August.
But the announcement received substantial backlash, with industry leaders warning that the ban would be another “nail in the coffin” for pubs and bars.
Reform UK leader Farage also reacted with dismay to the prospect of pubs becoming entirely smoke-free zones.
He pledged to never go to the pub again if outdoor smoking is banned, in comments that were warmly welcomed by social media users:
It is understood that Labour will now row back on the plans and just prohibit smoking outside hospitals and schools.
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We do not comment on leaks. Smoking claims 80,000 lives a year, puts huge pressure on our NHS, and costs taxpayers billions.
“We are determined to protect children and non-smokers from the harms of second-hand smoking.
“We’re considering a range of measures to put us on track to a smoke-free UK.”
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