ASH and the Prince of Darkness
Friday, November 28, 2008 The London Evening Standard reports that Peter Mandelson is blocking moves to ban the display of tobacco in shops. As welcome as it sounds, don't celebrate too soon. There's more than a hint of spin in this story which follows a meeting yesterday between ASH and advisers to the new Business Secretary.
It's clear however that the meeting didn't go as well as ASH would have liked, which is why they have run, bleating, to the press. It's the equivalent of a temper tantrum and it's designed to put pressure on the Cabinet which is meeting today in Leeds (with tobacco control thought to be on the agenda).
According to director Deborah Arnott, "The proposed legislation has attracted huge public support. Now, however, it appears that BERR [Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform] is trying to block it. It is as if Peter Mandelson is putting a block on health policy."
Huge public support? Hmmm. In July 2006 Arnott boasted that getting politicians to support the smoking ban was "literally a confidence trick". It worked once so they're trying it (on) again. Convince ministers there is overwhelming public support for action and it takes a brave politician to say no.
Anyway, when ASH talk about "huge public support", what they really mean is huge public sector support. If my suspicions are correct, this is how it works. The government gives money to ASH who use it to galvanise support not from the general public but from public sector employees, many of them health workers. The result? Tens of thousands of responses to a "public" consultation and "huge support" for legislation.
As for accusing Mandelson of "putting a block on health policy", where is the evidence that banning the display of tobacco (or vending machines, or 10-packs) has anything to do with health? It's gesture politics designed to denormalise a legal activity and stigmatise millions of people.
Worse, it could push thousands of small retailers towards bankruptcy. What about the health of all those businesses - especially in the current climate - or do people's livelihoods not matter?
Oh well, I'm sure ASH know what they're doing. Personally I'd think twice about making an enemy of a man they call the Prince of Darkness. But I'm not Deborah Arnott. And I don't have the arrogance - or the petulance - that working for ASH seems to breed.
Full story HERE.
Reader Comments (4)
If Deborah Arnott knew anything about politics she would understand that you DO NOT try and force Mandelson's hand. George Osborne got his fingers burnt only a few weeks ago because he tried to get one over him, look how that turned out!
The plans to put cigarettes under the counter was a step too far anyway and should never have even got as far as it did. Mandelson obviously saw right through it, and ASH's "vast public support" which never existed. Now the Department of Health has wasted thousands of taxpayer's money running a "public consultation" which was clearly not "public." You're right Simon: WE are paying the Government to have these daft ideas, they use OUR money to make them look popular with surveys etc, then force them on us!!! Question for the Minister: Can I just keep my money next time?
The piece by Arnott in the Guardian deserves a link.
It is essential that campaigners create the impression of inevitable success. Campaigning of this kind is literally a confidence trick: the appearance of confidence both creates confidence and demoralises the opposition. The week before the free vote we made sure the government got the message that we "knew" we were going to win and it would be better for them to be on the winning side.
Interesting comments on the link. I see the ASH mob are all out in force, a three-line whip must have been issued. Probably a suggested line of attack too, seeing as Ailsa Rutter and Carole Johnson's comments were almost identical!
We have Paul Hooper the health official. That is, he gets paid for writing what he does, and John Britton, a Director from the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies - another non-job, and another who is paid to tell us what to do.
Well done to Mandelson for telling them to get lost if that is what he did. To go back to John Britton's post ...
"Prohibiting display of tobacco products, and sale from vending machines, are measures with near universal support among health professionals"
John speaks as if this is a GOOD thing! Considering the fact that a 'health professional' in the Midlands last week moved to throw dying patients out in the cold when there was no legal need, I'd say that whatever they advise should be taken with a pinch of salt.
More confidence trickery from ASH and their interfering, busybodying ilk.
And Hazel said ...
"this is not an unreasonable ask and will not put them out of business. It will save lives and that is a fact that no one should lose sight of."
The small retailers association has assessed that it will cost small businesses in the region of £250m. Not an unreasonable ask? And there is not a shred of evidence that it will save lives.
I posted the above there too but have no confidence in it being published.
Interestingly, at no point in her article does Deborah Arnott address personal choice: well she briefly dismisses "freedom" and "rights". It's her way or the highway ...
How can an unelected body have so much influence over our leaders and then have the gall to boast that it's all a "trick"?!
JD