Boris and the power of blogging
Thursday, April 17, 2008 Take a bow, readers of Taking Liberties! I don't think it's over-stating the case to say that, as a direct result of your response to THIS post (which led to a flurry of emails being sent to Team Boris), the great man now writes:
"What is the point of having local democracy if we don't leave decisions like this to a local level? If I had my way, we would have an online referendum in London about whether to give boroughs back the power to give discretion over smoking to pubs and clubs."
Better still, it's on the record, published HERE - by The Sun.
Vote Boris! Vote for freedom!!
Simon Clark
Aaaarrrggghhh! From BBC News this afternoon:
Mr Johnson issued a statement on Thursday saying that he was expressing a personal view that laws like the smoking ban should have been decided at a local level.
"Personally I do not like smoking and believe that pubs and clubs are better places since the ban came in," he said. "It is not within the power of the Mayor to have a referendum, nor will I be lobbying for the power to grant one."
Politicians. Don't you just love 'em.
Reader Comments (15)
Thank you Simon, this reiterates exactly what I wrote on the earlier thread, yesterday. See below:
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I have just received the following email from Boris' office, as a sort of follow up from the previous one:
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Dear Mr Thurgood
Many thanks for your email. Rob has asked me to reply on his behalf. I am sorry if his previous statement failed to clarify his position.
In addition to Boris' view on the smoking ban, Boris has said the following:
'What is the point of having local democracy if we don't leave decisions like this to a local level? If I had my way, we would have an online referendum in London about whether to give boroughs back the power to give discretion over smoking to pubs and clubs.'
I hope this helps clarify your concern. If there is anything else you would like to bring to our attention, please do not hesitate to get back in contact with us. It is vital that we hear from Londoners about the issues that matter to them.
Yours sincerely
Jason Devan
The Policy Team
Congratulations on the blog, Simon. Congratulations, Peter.
In fact, congratulations all round, I think!
Hear, hear!
It'll be interesting to hear Boris' replies on the "Sun" discussion board.
I don't like to blow my own trumpet, but I'm going to today, because I think that I, along with others on here, played a significant roll, by sending non stop emails and getting in touch with Boris' team regarding his stand on the smoking ban. This got Boris to speak up for us, and to say what he also obviously believes in.
If you look at the Evening Standard site, which covers the Mayoral Elections, you can see it here: Http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/
Every day different polls are conducted on this site. Today the latest poll asks "Is Boris right to rethink the smoking ban?"
Boris Johnson says he wants the smoking ban overturned.
See here:
Http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23478881-details/Boris%3A+I%27ll+give+you+a+say+on+smoking/article.do
WRT Simon's update, sounds like Boris has had his wrist slapped for stepping out of party line.
He is clearly a wimp and a flip flopper. Atila The Hun could beat Labour in an election at this time and the smoking ban is not going to affect the vast majority of voters who do not smoke. They are at best apathetic and whether or not the ban is reviewed will not influence their votes in the slightest. However, a ditherer who changes his opinions and beliefs under pressure from prats in his party deserves no ones vote at all.
Here is my effort.
My email.
Dear David,
Thank you for taking the time to write to the campaign. It is vital that we hear from as many people as possible about the issues in London that matter to them.
As you know, Boris is standing for Mayor of London. That post has no power to change the law on smoking, even within London. Boris has repeatedly criticised the heavy handed approach that Labour has taken on a range of issues, including the smoking ban.
I have passed your comments on to our health researcher and your thoughts will be shared with Boris and the management team, as well.
Kind regards,
Bethany Wheatley
BackBoris Campaign
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On 2/4/08 19:50, "webmaster@backboris.com" <webmaster@backboris.com> wrote:
> A mail was received from this person: David Atherton
> (daveatherton20@hotmail.com)
>
> To reply just hit the reply button and their email address will be filled in
> for you.
>
> The idea was:
>
> I was reading with exaspiration that Boris seems to of changed his mind on the smoking ban. How much more political correctness do we need in this country, especially as Boris has spoken out against the ban before. ASH and Labour are lieing about the harm of passive smoking while literally hundreds of pubs are closing in London. Over 1400 nationally since the smoking ban on July 1st 2007. Frankly if the Tories and Boris cannot get their act together on such a simple matter as this I am sure I can put my cross against someone who is pro choice on smoking. I was going to vote for him. There must be over 2 million smokers in London who would be happy to vote for Boris if he had the right message.
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Here is Cameron's reply to my email. Obviously Alice Sheffield could not stand the pace.
Dear David,
I am writing on behalf of David Cameron to thank you for your email.
We are grateful to you for taking the time to write in response to David’s interview with The Publican. Your feedback has been noted.
As you know the Government’s ban on smoking in public places came into force on 1st July 2007. Smoking is now banned in all enclosed public spaces and workplaces. Whatever one’s own views, it is very clear that public opinion has demanded a ban on smoking in public places for some time. There is also a considerable body of scientific evidence to point to the harmful health effects of second-hand smoke.
While the smoking ban certainly does place restrictions on where people can smoke, it does not ban what is still a lawful activity and people are free to smoke in their own homes and outdoors where the impact of their smoke on others will be minimal. The Government has published five sets of regulations which set out the detail of the smokefree legislation. You can view these within the policy and guidance section of the Department of Health website: http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/fs/en
Conservatives have expressed some reservations about the ban, for example about smoking in prisons and mental health units, and about the requirement on all public places and businesses to display no smoking signs. The Government Minister previously responsible for the smoking ban, Caroline Flint, has assured us that the Government are committed to a review of the legislation, so if any problems occur which were not expected while the legislation was being formulated, the legislation may be reconsidered.
I hope that the new measures will play a positive role in reducing exposure to second-hand smoke and, in turn, help to improve public health.
Thank you, once again, for taking the time to get in touch.
Yours sincerely,
Anna Biles
Correspondence Secretary
David Cameron's Office
House of Commons
London
I don't wish to burst your bubble after the effort you made, Peter. Top marks for that and you are truly a splendid and sincere fellow.
However, like many people who come on to this blog, experience shows that, nowadays, you certainly can't trust a politician and Boris is no exception. Therefore, it never pays to rejoice too soon at their words as deeds and consistency speak much louder.
Boris probably does have genuine libertarian tendencies, but, this volte face would seem to indicate he has the same weaknesses and inadequacies as his boss - old Fotherington-Thomas Cameron.
These weaknesses and inadequacies are:
High on ambition and low on principle (power first)and paternalistic as opposed to allowing adults to make their own choices. Moreover, was Boris' first expressed idea, that if he had his way the boroughs would decide to offer choice on smoking and non-smoking venues, a good one? Surely, this should be up to the proprietor or landlord of a private business?
Lastly, the Cameron team has also opted for the unprincipled position of supporting two major lies, these being firstly, that secondary smoke, in the quantities we normally experience it, is a dangerously toxic substance. We know it's not and I suspect many of our body politic do too and, secondly, that many outlets in the hospitality and entertainment industries are not suffering because of the effects of the ban. We know they are.
It's sad, but day by day, the politicians in our major parties undermine our freedoms and insist on patronising us. However, they also do themselves immense damage too, in that, the smaller parties are all picking up more votes from a populace desperate for a real change of direction away from the nanny state and interfering, bossy government.
I'm sure Boris will get in in London as people will vote for him as the lesser of two evils. Unfortunately, this mandate is sure to swell his head
and it's already pretty big as it is.
I beg your pardon everybody, it's not two lies Team Cameron supports but three, as the bulk of public opinion did not demand and all out smoking ban. Prior to its inception and according to the Dept of National Statistics, 68% of those surveyed did not want an all out ban.
Moreover, much of the demand for a ban has been generated by the secondary smoke lie so the lie and the demand fuel each other. One thing Team Cameron certainly hasn't got the courage to do is tackle that section of our medical profession that has become too powerful and overstepped its remit. It is not a doctor's role to order us how to live our lives. However, Cameron is far too much of a wimp to take that on.
So sorry to say it folks but there will be no change as it will be much of the same old thing. You certainly can't trust New Labour and you certainly can't trust the Tories either.
I have received the same e-mail twice that David has received from Anna. Both were totally different questions that I asked, and yet both times I got the bog-standard reply. I know that at the time of the 'free vote' the tories didn't agree as much as Nu-Labour with the blanket ban, but to me, the words from David Cameron about how the country has 'moved on' since its implementation say it all.
I'm inclined to go along with what Blad says about leaving it up to the boroughs or even the landlords of pubs, as there would be uproar when all the business goes to the smoking pubs as it inevitably would. Best bet is to go for what they have on the continent, smoking and non smoking areas in bars and restaurancts and no smoking in hotel restaurants. I dont trust politicians either as for call me dave I wouldnt trust him as far as I could throw him and as for ditherie boris I'll say nothing, but as they are the only nannies so far that have made a gesture one can only pursue the struggle.
Boris Johnson has been got at by cameron,what a load of wimps we have and boris johnson is no exception.Personally i wouldnt vote for any of them they stick their election up their A....... no one is willing to commit theirself with sticking up for real democracy like allowing us to have choice. Vote UKIP at the next election they will allow smokers to have a choice at proprietors discression.
i would like all to know that cameron was a 40 a day smoker. He has given it up but experience tells me that x smokers are always the worse. He is no better that brown it will be more of the same if one votes for the tories. They have listened to ash and are not about changing their mind. If your local MP voted for the smoking ban, then the best revenge would be is to vote for someone else next time and let them lose their seat they deserve it treating us like a load of children and not allowing us choice.