Thursday, October 14, 2010 Last word for now on David Nuttall's 10-Minute Rule Motion to exempt pubs and private members' clubs from the smoking ban. Click HERE to watch it on the BBC website.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 David Nuttall's attempt to introduce a Bill to amend the smoking ban may have fallen by a majority of 55 (86 in favour of an amendment, 141 against).
However, as has been noted in several quarters, we should take heart from the fact that one third of MPs voted on an issue that many people said was dead, and of those 86 MPs voted in favour of an amendment to the smoking ban. In the circumstances, not a bad result.
According to one observer, "The turnout suggests that the antis are taking the threat of a relaxation seriously, something inconceivable before the Election. Even a few in the pub industry are starting to believe that an improvement may be possible."
Correct. Anyway, you can read the full debate HERE. And here's how they voted:
PUBLIC HOUSES AND PRIVATE MEMBERS' CLUBS (SMOKING) BILL
Motion for leave to bring in a Bill
Ayes (in favour of amendment)
Bacon, Mr Richard
Baker, Steve
Bebb, Guto
Bingham, Andrew
Binley, Mr Brian
Brady, Mr Graham
Bridgen, Andrew
Burley, Mr Aidan
Campbell, Mr Gregory
Campbell, Mr Ronnie
Carswell, Mr Douglas
Chishti, Rehman
Chope, Mr Christopher
Coffey, Dr Thérèse
Colvile, Oliver
Davies, David T. C. (Monmouth)
Davies, Philip
Davis, rh Mr David
Dinenage, Caroline
Dodds, rh Mr Nigel
Donaldson, rh Mr Jeffrey M.
Doyle-Price, Jackie
Elphicke, Charlie
Evans, Jonathan
Glindon, Mrs Mary
Goldsmith, Zac
Gummer, Ben
Halfon, Robert
Harris, Mr Tom
Hemming, John
Henderson, Gordon
Hinds, Damian
Javid, Sajid
Johnson, Gareth
Johnson, Joseph
Kirby, Simon
Knight, rh Mr Greg
Kwarteng, Kwasi
Latham, Pauline
Leigh, Mr Edward
Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian
Lilley, rh Mr Peter
Lopresti, Jack
Maynard, Paul
McCartney, Karl
McIntosh, Miss Anne
Menzies, Mark
Mercer, Patrick
Metcalfe, Stephen
Mordaunt, Penny
Morris, Anne Marie
Morris, David
Mosley, Stephen
Mowat, David
Mulholland, Greg
Nuttall, Mr David
Ollerenshaw, Eric
Ottaway, Richard
Patel, Priti
Perkins, Toby
Pincher, Christopher
Rees-Mogg, Jacob
Robertson, Mr Laurence
Rudd, Amber
Sanders, Mr Adrian
Shelbrooke, Alec
Skidmore, Chris
Smith, Henry
Stephenson, Andrew
Stewart, Bob
Stewart, Iain
Stewart, Rory
Tapsell, Sir Peter
Thurso, John
Truss, Elizabeth
Turner, Mr Andrew
Tyrie, Mr Andrew
Uppal, Paul
Walker, Mr Charles
Walker, Mr Robin
Walter, Mr Robert
Weatherley, Mike
Wharton, James
Whittaker, Craig
Whittingdale, Mr John
Williamson, Gavin
Tellers for the Ayes:
Mr Peter Bone and
Mr Philip Hollobone
Noes (against amendment)
Abbott, Ms Diane
Alexander, Heidi
Andrew, Stuart
Bailey, Mr Adrian
Barclay, Stephen
Barron, rh Mr Kevin
Bayley, Hugh
Begg, Miss Anne
Beith, rh Sir Alan
Beresford, Sir Paul
Betts, Mr Clive
Blenkinsop, Tom
Boles, Nick
Brake, Tom
Brine, Mr Steve
Brooke, Annette
Brown, Mr Russell
Bruce, Fiona
Bruce, rh Malcolm
Burden, Richard
Caton, Martin
Chapman, Mrs Jenny
Clark, Katy
Clarke, rh Mr Tom
Collins, Damian
Connarty, Michael
Corbyn, Jeremy
Crausby, Mr David
Cunningham, Alex
Dakin, Nic
Donohoe, Mr Brian H.
Doyle, Gemma
Dromey, Jack
Durkan, Mark
Ellison, Jane
Engel, Natascha
Esterson, Bill
Evans, Graham
Farron, Tim
Fitzpatrick, Jim
Flynn, Paul
Fovargue, Yvonne
Freer, Mike
Fuller, Richard
Gapes, Mike
Gardiner, Barry
Gilmore, Sheila
Goggins, rh Paul
Green, Kate
Griffith, Nia
Gyimah, Mr Sam
Hancock, Matthew
Hanson, rh Mr David
Harris, Rebecca
Havard, Mr Dai
Hemming, John
Hollingbery, George
Hopkins, Kelvin
Horwood, Martin
Howarth, rh Mr George
Huppert, Dr Julian
James, Margot
James, Mrs Siân C.
Kaufman, rh Sir Gerald
Keeley, Barbara
Kelly, Chris
Laing, Mrs Eleanor
Lavery, Ian
Lazarowicz, Mark
Leadsom, Andrea
Lee, Dr Phillip
Leech, Mr John
Lefroy, Jeremy
Leslie, Chris
Lloyd, Tony
Long, Naomi
Love, Mr Andrew
Lucas, Caroline
Lumley, Karen
Mann, John
McCann, Mr Michael
McCarthy, Kerry
McCrea, Dr William
McDonnell, John
Mearns, Ian
Miller, Andrew
Mills, Nigel
Moon, Mrs Madeleine
Morrice, Graeme
Morris, James
Munn, Meg
Murray, Sheryll
Nash, Pamela
Nokes, Caroline
Offord, Mr Matthew
Osborne, Sandra
Owen, Albert
Pearce, Teresa
Percy, Andrew
Phillips, Stephen
Poulter, Dr Daniel
Raynsford, rh Mr Nick
Reid, Mr Alan
Ritchie, Ms Margaret
Rogerson, Dan
Rosindell, Andrew
Rotheram, Steve
Roy, Lindsay
Ruddock, rh Joan
Russell, Bob
Shannon, Jim
Sharma, Mr Virendra
Sheerman, Mr Barry
Sheridan, Jim
Shuker, Gavin
Simpson, David
Skinner, Mr Dennis
Slaughter, Mr Andy
Smith, rh Mr Andrew
Smith, Julian
Smith, Nick
Smith, Sir Robert
Soulsby, Sir Peter
Stevenson, John
Stride, Mel
Stuart, Ms Gisela
Swales, Ian
Thomas, Mr Gareth
Tomlinson, Justin
Twigg, Stephen
Vaz, Valerie
Walley, Joan
Ward, Mr David
White, Chris
Whitehead, Dr Alan
Williams, Roger
Williams, Stephen
Williamson, Chris
Winnick, Mr David
Wollaston, Dr Sarah
Wright, Simon
Tellers for the Noes:
Peter Bottomley and
Chris Bryant
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 MPs today rejected David Nuttall's 10-Minute Rule Bill to amend the smoking ban.
Ayes 86
Noes 141
Majority 55
Simon Clark
Watched the "debate" on BBC Parliament. David gave a good, measured speech concentrating on two issues - the economic case and freedom of choice and localism (ie allowing decisions on smoking policy to be devolved to the lowest appropriate level).
David was opposed by Kevin Barron (Labour), former chairman of the Health Select Committee, whose speech came straight out of the ASH handbook. Sadly, the format of the debate (one speaker only per side) meant that it was impossible for anyone to counter Barron's points which included - as someone has mentioned elsewhere - a comment cherry-picked from (and possibly planted on) David's own blog.
Update: From Smoke and Mirrors by Deborah Arnott and Ian Willmore of ASH (Guardian, July 19, 2006):
Political champions are essential. Our coalition owes a sincere gratitude to numerous politicians and officials. The chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, risked his own position to argue the case for comprehensive smoke-free legislation. Kevin Barron MP, chair of the health select committee, guided committee members to a unanimous report from his committee on the issue, and persuaded them to back an all-party amendment (framed by our coalition) that forced the government to concede a free vote.
All's not lost, though. As a colleague has just commented: "Disappointing result, but to have over a third of MPs voting on a Ten Minute Rule Bill suggests a continuing strong interest on the issue and we need to maintain momentum."
Too true. The fight goes on.
PS. We'll have the list of MPs who voted later today. Watch this space.
Simon Clark
Guido has this to say:
David Nuttall’s Ten Minute Rule Bill to have the smoking ban amended so that private clubs and pubs would allow smoking, if they wanted it, has sadly just been shot down in the Commons. But the result of ayes 86, noes 141 shows the growing popularity for such an idea. This was a mere lone backbencher’s campaign thrown together hastily on the luck of a draw. With a coordinated movement within the coalition who knows what could happen ...
Click HERE.
Simon Clark
Above: Conservative MP Steve Baker on Twitter.
Simon Clark
MP David Nuttall's bid to end smoking ban in pubs fails (BBC News)
Smoking ban exemptions bid defeated (Press Association)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 On Wednesday David Nuttall, MP for Bury North, will present a 10-minute rule motion in the House of Commons. This will allow David to make the case for an amendment to the smoking ban.
Last week at the Conservative Party Conference David was a guest speaker at Forest's Save The Great British Pub Party. During the event we filmed a short interview with him.
You can link to it HERE. Please embed it on your blog, if you have one, or forward the link to someone who has.
Please forward the link to friends and family. Ask them to forward the link to their MP and please do likewise.
See also: David Nuttall MP calls for end to pub smoking ban (BBC News) and from David Nuttall's website Why the smoking ban should be relaxed.
Simon Clark
Thanks to the following for featuring or highlighting the video on their blogs: Iain Dale, The Freedom Association, Liberal Vision, Freedom2Choose (Scotland), The Talking Clock.
Important, I think, that we add as many comments as possible. No disrespect to anyone else, but Iain's blog is the most widely read, if you get my drift.
Update: Thanks too to Dick Puddlecote, Tea and Cigarettes (Pat Nurse) and All Seeing Eye.
Other links: Liberal Smithy.
Simon Clark
David Nuttall will be on Iain Dale's LBC radio programme from 8.00pm tonight. Also on: Deborah Arnott (ASH). To contact Iain during the show click HERE.
Simon Clark
ConservativeHome has posted the David Nuttall video HERE. You can comment.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 Mick Hume and I were lucky enough to be given tickets for the India-Australia Test match. And so, shortly after two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, we set off on foot for the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium a mile or so away. OK, so it wasn't St John's Wood and Lords but it was an enjoyable experience nevertheless.
Security was tight - we were searched by armed guards when we arrived - and inside this great concrete bowl of a stadium around 20,000 Indians were watching an absorbing match.
(Note to non-cricket followers: the Bangalore Test is the second in a two-Test series. India won the first match by one wicket, which is as close as you can get to losing. Owing to the popularity of one day internationals and T20 cricket, Test matches in India struggle to attract large crowds. The Bangalore Test was an exception. On Saturday and Sunday the stadium was two-thirds full.)
As far as we could tell we were the only non-Indians in the stadium, apart from the corporate area. Our section, nominally reserved for Australian supporters, was full of Indian fans who chanted, waved national flags and did the Mexican wave. There wasn't an Aussie in sight.
On our way to our seats (red plastic garden chairs that could be moved to get a better view) we passed trestle tables that bore the weight of gas cookers and large plastic water containers. Vegetables lay on the hard concrete floor and the smell of curry was in the air.
Pepsi was widely available but - despite the ads that appeared on the electronic scoreboard - there was no sign of any beer, Kingfisher or otherwise. Worried about drinking the water, we sat parched and thirsty.
I imagined how it must have been when English cricket teams came out here 50 or 80 years ago. Some experience, I bet. The heat, the hostility (in some but not all quarters). Even the great Ricky Ponting, the current Australian captain, has never won a Test match in India and the way things are going in the second Test I don't think he ever will.
Update: the Australians have fought back ever so well on Day 4. Forced however to go for quick runs in their second innings they have lost wickets at regular intervals. Odds on an Indian victory but if the Aussies get some early wickets in the second Indian innings anything's possible. Watch THIS space.
Below: the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 On Saturday morning, led by a local guide and chaperoned by event organiser Elise Rasmussen, we set off on a guided walk. It was the first time I had set foot outside the hotel grounds and three things were immediately apparent - the noise, the traffic and the poor state of the pavements.
Often paving slabs were loose or set at a strange angle. Sometimes it was like walking through a building site with rubble underfoot. We frequently had to step across holes and sometimes had to step into the traffic to avoid an obstruction.
The noise came from the buses, cars, motorcycles and motorised rickshaws that weaved from lane to lane (often to avoid potholes) while tooting their horns. Bangalore, I was told later, is quiet by Indian standards but this was more than enough.
The most exhilarating part of the walk, which took us first to the Botanical Gardens, was crossing the road. Pedestrian crossings were few and far between and a break in the often fast-moving traffic was so rare that you literally took your life in your hands when you stepped over the kerb.
It was difficult to judge when to cross the road because out of nowhere a motorbike might appear from behind a bus travelling very much faster than the bigger vehicle. The trick, or so it seemed, was to shut your eyes, walk across the road at an even pace (with fingers and everything else tightly crossed) and hope against hope that nothing hit you.
Mick Hume and I had one very scary moment when we got caught in the middle of one road, unable to go forward or turn back, with traffic thundering past inches from where we stood. There were no central reservations for pedestrians. We just had to hope that nothing hit us. When finally we made it to the other side we laughed about it but it was no laughing matter. The following day the Times of India reported that two people had died on Saturday in separate incidents in Bangalore. They had both been hit by buses.
The reason we were in a hurry to cross the road at that particular moment was because after three hours we had had enough of walking. We wanted to hire a motorised rickshaw (or velotaxi) to take us back to the hotel.
We were all, I think, a little nervous of getting in one but once we were off it was great. The only moment I wobbled was when our driver turned 90 degrees into fast-moving traffic and for two seconds (ie before I shut my eyes) my life flashed before me.
Top tip, though. Only use a velotaxi when your Indian guide has fully briefed the driver where you want to go. Later in the day, deprived of our guide and some way from the hotel, Mick and I attempted to hire a velotaxi to take us back to the Royal Gardenia. Most of the drivers couldn't speak English and only one had heard of "Bangalore's first green super luxury business hotel" and "the world's largest & Asia's first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) platinum rated hotel".
Worse, several drivers were determined to take us on detours that involved a quick visit to their uncle or cousin who just happened to sell t-shirts. Would we like to see them? No, we jolly well wouldn't. We just want to go back to our hotel with its delicious food and its welcome drinks bar!!
The drivers were insistent. No, we said. Twice we demanded that they stop and let us out. (One had even turned his velotaxi around, with the pair of us on board, and set off in the opposite direction to the hotel. Eventually we gave up hailing a velotaxi and walked back. Believe me, had we not done so we could have ended up anywhere.
Below: view from a velotaxi
Simon Clark
How about this for coincidence? I have just received, via email, a message from Transport for London. It reads: "Dear Mr Clark, I am writing to remind you to take extra care to look out for motorcycles when turning across bus lanes. This is because motorcycles can use most bus lanes on London's Red Routes for a new trial period ending 23 January 2012."
I have replied as follows: "Thank you for the warning but I have just returned from Bangalore. If I can survive Indian roads I can survive anything."
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 I have just returned from the Global Tobacco Network Forum in Bangalore. It wasn't life-changing but it was (momentarily) life-threatening and it was certainly great fun. Here are some snapshots:
Owing to the Conservative conference in Birmingham I missed the three-day field trip that included two nights in an "unspoilt jungle resort hotel". When he returns in a couple of weeks Chris Snowdon may have more to say about this excursion but I understand that it was quite an adventure and not entirely trouble-free. Meanwhile I can reveal exclusively that Chris did see a tiger even though he declined to join the rest of the group when they went off in search of one at 5.00am.
The forum itself took place over two days following a welcome reception on Wednesday evening. There were over 200 delegates from all over the world and it was a pretty impressive event, only the second of its kind. The first was in Brazil in 2008.
I was one of many guest speakers who were invited to take part in a series of panel discussions. There were 24 panel events in all and I had to give a short presentation in three of them. Apart from Chris Snowdon, who also gave a entertaining keynote address based on his book Velvet Glove Iron Fist, other panellists from the UK included Mark Littlewood (Institute of Economic Affairs), Chris Ogden (Tobacco Manufacturers Association), Katherine Graham (Tobacco Retailers Alliance), Patrick Basham (Democracy Institute) and Mick Hume (journalist and founding editor of Spiked). This little group plus Mark's partner Angela became my family for the duration until, one by one, people left to fly home or on to Goa (Chris) or Sydney (Mark/Angela).
In the evenings we were wined and dined in the main event hotel, the very modern and very green Royal Gardenia, or its sister hotel, the more traditional Windsor Hotel. During the main event we were also entertained with live music, Bollywood-style dancing and, appropriately, a smoke machine, but I was glad when eventually we were able to enjoy one or two quieter evenings.
I wrote about our arrival at the Gardenia - rose petals fluttering down upon our heads at six in the morning - and from that moment the service never wavered. I don't know how many people the hotel employs but whatever the time of day someone always seemed to be available to open a door, take an order or fix a laptop. The service could not have been better, but I suppose that's what you get for £450 a night.
The food was pretty good too. If you tired of curry (I didn't but I will happily give it a miss for the next week or two) you could choose from four restaurants, one of them Japanese.
I really liked the outdoor bar (below where we spent what seemed like many hours eating and drinking, enjoying the warm breeze (during the day) or the torrential rain (in the evening) in total comfort. There was also a "welcome" cocktail bar that offered free drinks from 6.00pm. As you can imagine quite a few people - led by the Brits - gravitated there before dinner.
The forum itself finished on Friday evening and while many delegates left early the next morning to catch flights to various parts of the world, a hard core - including me - dug in for the weekend.
Suddenly, having been cocooned in our upmarket hotels by the rest of the city, we were free to explore Bangalore, a city teeming with cars, buses, scooters, motorbikes and the omnipotent motorised rickshaw. Oh, and I also spent Saturday afternoon at the India-Australia Test match. More about that in part two.
PS. I haven't written about the forum in detail because of an agreed code of conduct. I can however reveal that not everyone in India was delighted to see us. Prior to the event a petition was set up by the Institute of Public Health, Bangalore. Estimated population of India: 1.15 billion. Signatures on petition: 65. Oops.
Sunday, October 10, 2010 Earlier this year I was delighted to play a small role in the release of landlord Nick Hogan from Salford jail. The person directly responsible for the online campaign that raised £10,000 in ten days to secure Nick's release was blogger Anna Raccoon.
A few weeks ago Anna launched another online campaign to help pensioner Sheila Martin who was threatened with a £2,500 fine (and possibly jail) if she refused to pay a £75 fine for allegedly dropping cigarette "litter".
Following weeks of behind the scenes activity, Anna has today released the following press release:
Sheila Martin, 70, was smoking at a bus stop when the lit end of the cigarette dropped to the floor. Two of Sandwell Borough Council’s ‘enforcement wardens’ pounced and handed her a £75 fixed penalty for littering.
Mrs Martin argued that the legislation referred to the filter end of the cigarette and was bq. threatened with an increased fine up to £2,500 or prison.
Internet campaigners who freed a pub landlord from jail for a smoking offence earlier this year came forward to provide legal advice and support.
Nick Hogan, former landlord of The Swan and Barristers in Bolton, was jailed for six months for failing to pay fines and costs totalling £10,136 after being guilty of allowing customers to light up.
But he walked free after the internet campaign led by blogger Anna Raccoon raised £10,000 to secure his early release in just 10 days.
In a remarkable spirit of co-operation between the Blogosphere and the Sunday Mercury, a regional newspaper, a campaign was mounted to put pressure on the council giving them regular evidence of Mrs Martin’s exceedingly frail health, backed up by an impressive Blogosphere defence team providing Mrs Martin expert legal advice and support free of charge.
On Friday, after three months, Sandwell Borough Council decided that it was ‘not in the public interest’ to continue with the prosecution of Mrs Martin and all fines and charges have been dropped.
Mrs Martin said:
“This whole process has been one long nightmare and my health has suffered as a result. The stress of everything has caused me to collapse twice and end up in hospital; I am just so glad that I have had support from the Sunday Mercury and the internet bloggers because otherwise I would have felt so alone.”
Full story HERE. Congratulations to all concerned, especially Anna Raccoon.
Sunday, October 10, 2010 
Brian Binley (left) and David Nuttall (right) were among the MPS who attended Forest's Save The Great British Pub party in Birmingham last week. Brian and David also gave impressively passionate speeches in favour of amending the ban. In the current anti-smoking climate it was a joy to hear politicians speak so forcefully in favour of choice.
Photographer Dan Donovan also shot a short video of David explaining why he has tabled a 10-minute rule motion about the smoking ban. The motion will be debated on Wednesday (October 13) in the House of Commons. The video will be available here tomorrow.
Friday, October 8, 2010 
Above (left to right): Paul Staines (aka Guido Fawkes), Alex Deane (Big Brother Watch), Claire Fox (Institute of Ideas), Philip Davies MP and me at The Free Society fringe meeting at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham earlier this week.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 So, here I am at the Royal Gardenia Hotel in Bangalore, India, drinking a cool glass of Kingfisher in the very bar you see above. It's 15:45, local time, which is four and a half hours ahead of the UK.
Yesterday I boarded BA flight 0119 at 14:00, having driven to Heathrow from Birmingham via Cambridgeshire following the Forest party at the Conservative conference. (Photos to follow shortly.)
BA obviously decided to go straight to Bangalore time because we were barely in the air when we were served dinner. I didn't get much sleep - which at least allowed me to watch the Gervaise/Merchant film Cemetary Junction - and suddenly we were being given breakfast at 23:00 UK time.
The nine-hour flight took us in the general direction of Vienna, Istanbul and some other places I can't remember (although they all sounded like war zones!) and finally Karachi and Mumbai before we landed in Bangalore at 04:10.
From the airport we took a taxi into the city but it was still dark so not much to see. Arrived at the Royal Gardenia Hotel at 06:00. Welcomed by staff who placed turbans on our heads, wrapped silk scarves around our necks and offered us a welcome drink (orange juice, since you ask).
As we were shown to our rooms (none of that "Can't check in until 3.00pm" nonsense) rose petals fluttered down on to our heads from a balcony above. I looked up. Yes, the hotel employed a man for that very purpose.
Slept most of the morning before registering for the conference which begins tomorrow. I'm speaking in three sessions, one tomorrow, two on Friday. But first there is a formal dinner tonight in the more traditional Windsor Hotel a few minutes' walk away. (Needless to say transport has been arranged to save us the bother!)
I'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 So, here I am at the Royal Gardenia Hotel in Bangalore, India, drinking a cool glass of Kingfisher in the very bar you see above. It's 15:45, local time, which is four and a half hours ahead of the UK.
Yesterday I boarded BA flight 119 at 14:00, having driven to Heathrow from Birmingham via Cambridgeshire following the Forest party at the Conservative conference on Monday night. (Photos to follow shortly.)
BA obviously decided to go straight to Bangalore time because we were barely in the air when we were served dinner. After that I watched an episode of Frasier, the Gervaise/Merchant film Cemetery Junction, and read several chapters of Thaler and Sunstein's "hugely influential" book Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness. Before long, or so it seemed, we were being handed breakfast (tomato, beans and a kind of potato omelette) at 23:00 UK time.
The nine-hour flight took us in the general direction of Vienna, Istanbul, Tehran and some other places I can't remember (although they all sounded like war zones!) and finally Karachi and Mumbai before we landed in Bangalore at 04:10 local time.
From the airport we took a taxi into the city but it was still dark so not much to see. Arrived at the Royal Gardenia Hotel at 06:00. Welcomed by staff who placed turbans on our heads, wrapped silk scarves around our necks and offered us a welcome drink (orange juice, since you ask).
As we were shown to our rooms (none of that "Can't check in until 3.00pm" nonsense) rose petals fluttered down on to our heads from a balcony above. I looked up. Yes, the hotel employed a man for that very purpose.
Slept most of the morning before registering for the conference which begins tomorrow. I'm speaking in three sessions, one tomorrow, two on Friday. But first there is a formal dinner tonight in the more traditional Windsor Hotel a few minutes' walk away. (Needless to say transport has been arranged to save us the bother!)
I'll keep you posted.
Simon Clark
The Royal Gardenia is described as "Bengalore's first green super luxury business hotel" and "the world's largest & Asia's first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) platinum rated hotel".
Personally I'd like something a little more traditional but I can't complain. After all, I've never stayed in a 7-star hotel before and the service is fantastic.
Apparently the Indian and Australian cricket teams are staying here too. Haven't seen them - yet.
Simon Clark
Smoking is not allowed in the public areas at the Royal Gardenia. There are however smoking rooms and comfortable outdoor areas where people can light up.
There are also designated bedrooms where you can smoke, including mine (see below). Although I have a balcony overlooking the swimming pool I am allowed, should I so choose, to smoke inside. In fact, not only is there an ashtray on the table by the window, there's even a "safe ashtray" in the bathroom.
The bedroom has state of the art air conditioning and, no, I can't smell even a hint of stale tobacco.
Saturday, October 2, 2010 
SAVE THE GREAT BRITISH PUB DRINKS PARTY
at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham
on Monday 4th October, 18:00-20:30
THE MALT HOUSE
75 King Edwards Road, Birminghan B1 2NX
(5 mins from the ICC)
HAPPY HOUR with free beer and wine from 18:00hrs.
Cash bar thereafter plus LIVE MUSIC featuring
KING PLEASURE AND THE BISCUIT BOYS
Plus guest speakers:
Brian Binley MP and David Nuttall MP
Everyone welcome. Conference pass not required.
Simon Clark
Based on the number of people who registered to receive free SMS text message reminders to attend events, Guido reported that our Save The Great British Pub Drinks Party was among the most popular events on the fringe. Other top 10 events included Iain Dale’s Diary Blogreaders Comedy Night, The Big Society Party, Rally For Boris, Tesco & CCA Champagne Reception and the Chief Minister of Gibraltar’s Reception.
Friday, October 1, 2010 Thoughtful article by Conservative MP Mike Weatherley on ConservativeHome today. The title says it all, really: Listen to our nation of shopkeepers - and don't force through a tobacco display ban.
Full article HERE. It's not every day that an MP urges caution when confronted by the powerful tobacco control lobby so worth adding a comment over on ConservativeHome.
