Another dose of hard Labour
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 
Last night's reception in the main lounge of the Royal Bath Hotel (left) went pretty well. Numbers were OK (ie we weren't embarrassed) even though the Foreign Secretary was being interviewed by the Observer in the room next door (to a full house) and Alastair Campbell was conducting his own meeting in the main ballroom 50 yards down the corridor.
A torrential downpour in the afternoon could have spelled disaster but come the evening the sun was shining again so - for those who chose to eat, drink and smoke outside in the garden - it was quite pleasant. On the other hand, it meant that there were - in effect - two parties taking place, which doesn't help. Still, it didn't stop people drinking. We ordered 40 bottles of champagne. Thanks to our guests (champagne socialists?) we eventually got through 80.
The theme of the evening was how the nanny state is being replaced by the bully state. I said a few words along these lines, and then introduced special guest Paul Toole. Paul and his partner Chris Elliott have - bravely, in my opinion - stuck their heads above the parapet and organised two marches in protest against the smoking ban. The first was in Wells, Somerset, where they live; the second was in Glastonbury. Next month they are taking to the streets again, this time in Bristol.
I was struck, recently, by something Paul had written. Essentially, he pointed out that, as a gay man, he had experienced discrimination and intolerance. Now, just as society is becoming more tolerant of the gay community, he is experiencing similar discrimination and intolerance because he's a smoker. I asked him to make this point and he did so with some passion. We need more people like Chris and Paul to stand up and be counted. I am delighted they were able to come.
Reader Comments (1)
Good for Paul. I always think that any member of a minority group that supports discriminatory and divisive legislation is a fool, as inevitably they will reap what they sow.
His experiences mirror mine, in that I was cripped quite thoroughly in an industrial accident in 1978; having learned more about discrimination than I ever wanted to know as a direct result, I find myself back at square one for the heinous crime of enjoying a smoke.
When the only kinds of tolerance and inclusion on offer are the 'state approved' variety, I think we're all in the soup...