Carl Minns: voice of a true liberal
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 Carl Minns, leader of Hull City Council, is that rare politician - a genuine liberal. At the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth in September, Carl was a member of the audience at a fringe meeting organised by Forest, The Free Society and Liberal Vision.
One of the speakers - Colin Eldridge, another Lib Dem councillor - expressed support for further restrictions on smoking (and smokers) including the proposal to give films featuring actors smoking an ‘18’ certificate.
To his everlasting credit Carl got to his feet and made it clear that he could never support such policies. A non-smoker, he also supported an amendment to the smoking ban that would give smokers some element of choice.
His intervention was so striking that I thought I had misheard him. Could this really be a council leader speaking?
Today the local paper reports that Cllr Minns will oppose any moves to ban outdoor smoking in Hull, a plan supported by "some senior figures within the city's health sector". He is reported to have said:
"As a Liberal, I am not in favour of wholesale prohibition while some people in the primary care trust want to take a more enforcement-led approach.
"I do not believe in an extension of the existing smoking ban , either locally or nationally.
"In my view it would fundamentally undermine civil liberties and freedom of choice.
"I am aware some councils are looking at trying to introduce a ban in some public areas but I think such a ban would be unenforceable.
"As long as I am leader, this council will not be banning smoking in the open air and will not be infringing on people's rights."
Full story HERE. You can comment.
Carl Minns has a blog (Thoughts from Hull) and you can comment on this story HERE. Other posts related to smoking can be found HERE.
Blogger Charlotte Gore wrote about our meeting in Bournemouth (on the Guardian website) HERE. The headline is instructive: "Don't lose the Lib in Lib Dems".
Reader Comments (9)
'A genuine liberal' - very rare today. As Basil Fawlty would have said, "We should have him stuffed!" :)
This creature is actually a very rare commodity nowadays, a Lib-Dem who is liberal in outlook and commonsensical. Yes, an outdoor smoking ban is against basic human rights and, moreover, totally unenforceable (unless you want to employ a lorry load of unproductive enforcers, which in the current economic quagmire, we cannot afford). However, he alone would not waver me in voting Lib-Dem..........the other cookie crew are not of his ilk.
An outdoor ban would finish off the hospitality industry .
Overnight.
Very wise viewpoint.
For anyone who is a Lib Dem with a libertarian streak, can I recommend www.liberal-vision.org if you are not already aware.
It is the true voice of Gladstonian Liberalism of the 18th Cebtury, free trade and personal liberties. It is run by a friend of mine Angela Harbutt and birthday boy on the 16th of January Julian Harris.
Yaaayyy! At last some common sense from a politician on this issue.
You mention those two words disappearing from everyday vocabulary Pat, commmon sense.
I was watching Roy Walker's history of quiz shows tonight on a cable channel. I noticed that any clip from the 1970's, and particularly the 1960's, there were always members of the panel/quiz team smoking.
All that active and SHS everywhere. If we believe the medical establishment and their 'incubation period' for illness, then by now there should not be many of the 60's and 70's generation left...sorry? what was that? we have the healthiest, largest older generation ever?
Good on him!
Ya MAN Ya.
Can I believe my eyes when I read a supporting comment on Carl's blog from a Con councillor in Humber - Andrew Allison. It's worth going back to Carl's blog to check him out if you haven't already. One anti on there so far but I reckon others will come out in force once they get wind that someone is actually listening to us and even cares.
An anti has followed me from Carl Mimms blog to my own and he is debating furiously. As much as I would like to write tit for tat on the smoking issue with each point he raises today, sadly, I don't have the time.
Does anyone else want to take up the debating mantle? You can leave comments on a number of posts here :http://patnurseblog.blogspot.com/ Just look for the posts with the highest number of comments and you will find him.