Smokers are revolting
Monday, June 11, 2007 
A gentle reminder: in just 14 days Forest will host Revolt In Style: A Freedom Dinner at The Savoy Hotel, London. Tickets have been on sale for ten working days and we already have 200 guests (our initial target), including several MPs and the chief of staff to a very senior Government minister.
This is not just a good excuse for a really good party. As with all Forest events, there is a serious underlying message which we shall be communicating to every MP, every national and local newspaper editor, plus hundreds of journalists and broadcasters.
Nor, on the night itself, will we be holding back. I'll have a few things to say, and so will our after dinner speakers. They include Claire Fox, director of the Institute of Ideas and a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze. It was Claire who came up with the line that, thanks to this government's anti-smoking policies, an increasing number of smokers are "reaching for their fags in defiance". We also intend to have a roving microphone so that other guests can have their say.
Tickets cost £95 (£750 for a table of ten). However, in order to meet our new target, we are extending our reduced price offer (£75/£650) for a further week. To book telephone Forest HQ on 01223 370156.
Reader Comments (13)
Sounds like a lot of fun.
But I am still confused.
Where exactly does the "revolt" come in? I see the style clearly enough, but not the revolt.
If the shindig was happening on the 1st of July I would call it a revolt.
Its not as if anyone's risking anything. No-one is under threat of arrest. No-one is breaking any laws.
That being said, I hope you have a great night.
I know what Colin means, nothing revolting about this apart from the stink which is coming from the anti smoking brigade, and their unjust law.
I'll tell you what would be more "revolting" if that is what you want to call it. Organise big shindigs like this when the ban is actually in place. Yes, you can do it, because all you need to do is make sure it is held in a private place. Remember there is no law against smoking in private places, only "enclosed public places".
Anyone out there with a very large baronial type home fancy hosting the next one?
If there is no law against it, Peter, its called a party.
At The Swan in Bolton, and the Happy Scots in Blackpool, on July 1st, revolts will happen.
A revolt is where ordinary citizens say "Up yours!".
I have searched and searched, and I cannot find one single story of a revolt where the revolters did not revolt, but merely said "You got us this time, you nasty old government, you", and then walked meekly into the night.
Big Tobacco caved. Big Hospitality caved. The Citizens caved.
No revolt.
Just acquiescence. Just timidity. Just acceptance.
I agree that 'revolt' is an interesting choice of words, but perhaps we are missing something!
Revolt indeed a very inappropriate choice of words! A true revolt is when there is something at stake- and here there isnt. This is at most a gathering albeit a rather expensive money-wasting one.
Simon, could you get them all to stomp up some of their vast quantities of money to bring a lawsuit to protect David Hockney's property/privace rights (and consequently protect those rights for us all)?
Now for *that* I'm sure that a good portion of 15 million smokers (those that don't need fascists to 'help' them) and tens of millions of tolerant non-smokers (I don't think you have any idea how much resentment there is 'out here') would applaud you, and you would have had a hand in making history.
Rock on Norway :) (Thanks to Colin for putting this on F2C).
Forest please note. It *is* worth fighting.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article772700.ece
Hello, I think this stupid law has gone too far. Yes I can understand that smoking in a resteraunt isnt nice when people are eating. But I know that Many pubs, clubs and resteraunts too are DREADING July 1st I wonder why? There will be more street fights and more litter and more noise outside pubs and clubs. In our local town we are Not allowed to smoke outsied a resterant. How silly. They will loose valued custom. We have got little pocket ashtrays so no one can ever fine us !! I think that even the stations is ott as well. These are OPEN AIR. !! Trains and cars make far more pollution . What a sad old world we live in. I am so sick of being told NO NO NO NO all the time. I am STRESSED.regards AmandaH
WHAT REALLY UPSETS ME IS THAT THE TOBACCO COMPANIES HAVE KEPT THEIR SILENCE IN ALL THIS.
TALK ABOUT LOYALTY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!
I am upset because it is obvious that certain breweries are showing contempt for their regular customers who have kept pubs going for years and years. At my local and another pub in town, smokers will not even be allowed to smoke in the beer gardens/on the outside premises according to the area manager. They have been happy to take our money over the years and now jump on the bandwagon (or banned wagon) to exclude and even criminalise people who are of good character. The whole situation reeks of nastiness and hypocrisy.
"The Banned Wagon"
Brilliant.
I see another potential slogan, right there.
"Don't jump on the banned wagon"
Poppy - better show this (don't jump on the banned wagon) to Bernie - at this rate he'll be doing overtime!!!
Haha! Good point Jenny! To avoid a grammatical issue, maybe "Don't jump on the ban wagon" would be better? Otherwise it might be perceived that there's some prohibited wagon out there with it's small ladder removed.