Blackpool beached

To Blackpool for the Conservative party conference where, tomorrow night, we're hosting the second of our party conference receptions.

By all accounts, this is the last time any of the major parties will hold their conference in this part of Lancashire. The only surprise is that the Tories have come back for one last hurrah.

My first experience of Blackpool was as a wide-eyed teenager. I'll never forget my first sight of the colourful trams, the famous Illuminations, and - the most vivid memory of all - the Pleasure Beach with its terrifying rollercoasters!

Today, Blackpool has far less appeal. Much has been written about the hotels, the crumbling buildings and concrete promenade that hark back to a different age - and, sadly, it's all true. No-one in their right mind would come here for a holiday, far less a 21st century party political conference. What were the Conservatives thinking?!!

Retail therapy

To the Grosvenor House Hotel in London for the 2007 Retail Industry Awards sponsored by Mars, Seafish, GlaxoSmithKline, Cadbury Trebor Bassett, and others too numerous to mention. I am here as a guest of one of the companies (none of the aforementioned) and from the moment we sit down in the Great Room (Europe's largest ballroom), we are bombarded by a wall of noise from Blayz, a high energy string quartet. After dinner - and a brief interlude that includes an unexplained appearance by a pair of Laurel and Hardy lookalikes - it's time for the awards, compered by Frankie Boyle, star of BBC2's Mock The Week.

As an impartial observer it's hard to get excited by categories such as Supermarket Store Manager of the Year, Multiple Convenience Community Retailer of the Year, Independent Training Initiative of the Year, Global Convenience Format of the Year, and Independent Company Owned Forecourt Retailer of the Year, but I do my best, whooping and hollering as representatives from Morrisons, Sainsbury, Asda, Spar and M&S make their way to the stage to receive their awards.

Eventually, we're allowed a 15-minute "comfort break". For many guests that means a smoking break which is why, had you been driving down Park Lane at approximately ten o'clock, you would have seen scores of people, in evening dress, lighting up outside. Welcome to Blair's Brown's Britain.

Another dose of hard Labour

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.

The nanny state we're in

Unless you're Alastair Campbell or the Foreign Secretary, fringe events don't sell themselves. Today is D-Day for the Forest/Free Society reception at the Labour party conference so as well as handing out flyers to delegates, we have recruited three local thespians to dress up as nannies (nanny state - geddit?) and strut their stuff outside the conference centre. Like The Sun's double-decker bus (see below), the gag seems work. It attracts attention and makes people smile.

Adding to the surreal nature of the day, my colleague Sarah and I spend much of the day wrestling with a large bunch of balloons (featuring our 'nanny state' logo, obviously) which we drag from one location to another. Every so often a balloon snags on something - and bursts, making a noise that sounds alarmingly like a shotgun.

With armed policemen on every corner, this is not perhaps the cleverest PR stunt we've ever pulled. But it works. A combination of flyers, men dressed as Mary Poppins, and helium-filled balloons seems to have done the trick. After two days there seem to be very few delegates - including government ministers - who are not aware that Forest is in town. We've got to be happy with that.

The Sun? We love it.

Labour party conference, Bournemouth
Spent the day handing out invitations for tomorrow's 'Politics and Prohibition' event. Our small team included three conference virgins - Samantha, Luke and Kim - who were surprised by some of the (less than positive) comments directed at them by some delegates. We did warn them in advance!

The Sun took the honours for today's best conference stunt. The paper hired an open-top double-decker bus (left), covered it in images of Gordon Brown waving two fingers (at the British electorate), then blasted out  'Jerusalem', 'Rule Britannia' etc for two hours as the bus drove slowly, and repeatedly, past the conference centre. Simple but effective. They made their point and brought a smile to many people's faces.

Conference calls

The 2007 party conference season is in full swing. This week the LibDems are in Brighton, the circus then moves on to Bournemouth for the Labour conference, and the following week the Tories are in Blackpool.

Like many people, I have a love-hate relationship with party conferences. Drab hotel rooms (the best have been snapped up months if not years in advance), too many boring meetings, and - these days - one security check after another. No wonder so many MPs make their excuses and find something better to do.

On the other hand .... party conferences can be quite fun socially and if you organise a successful event it's a great feeling (tinged with relief). In 2005, at the Labour conference in Brighton, we had one of our best days ever (which I have already described HERE).

Last year, at the Conservative conference in Bournemouth, we went one better and organised what was - by common consent - the best fringe event of the year. We hired an events company, booked the ballroom at the Royal Bath Hotel, and staged a Prohibition-era reception with a live jazz band and mock police raid (above). Four hundred guests made it an evening to remember and hotel staff had to turn people away for reasons of "health 'n' safety"!!

This year we are organising two rather more modest events (receptions), one in Bournemouth, the other in Blackpool. The challenge, as you might expect, has been to find smoker-friendly venues. In practise, that means a room where people have direct access to a pleasant outdoor area where they can light up and still feel part of the event. 

In Bournemouth we have booked the main lounge of the Royal Bath Hotel which has direct access to the garden which overlooks the sea. Into the mix we are throwing a jazz pianist, a song and dance act, more balloons than you can throw a stick at - and a barbecue.

Why? Well, it's all very well having a message, but you have to an audience for that message - and we're up against stiff competition. In the adjacent room, at exactly the same time as our event, Andrew Rawnsley of the Observer is interviewing Foreign Secretary David Miliband. A few yards down the corridor Alastair Campbell will be talking about the Blair years (and flogging copies of his book). And that's in just one hotel!

According to the conference brochure, the Forest/Free Society reception is competing for guests with at least 30 other events. Wish us luck!

Minority report Down Under

Breath of fresh air (no, I'm not being ironic) in today's Times where columnist Ross Anderson writes:

Interesting news from Australia (and there’s a phrase you don’t often read), where 200 years of unremitting sunshine appear finally to have resulted in paranoia and psychosis. Peter Macdonald, Mayor of Manly in Sydney – where they already prohibit smoking on the beach – has proposed that the ban be extended to all outdoor areas controlled by New South Wales’s local authorities: which means pretty much everywhere, including open-air bar and restaurant tables.

If I may be permitted to quote the Mayor, his reasoning is: “The vast majority of people don’t smoke. It’s only the minority who will be disadvantaged.” Well, that’s all right then: although if you were black, left-handed, red-haired or Jewish you might feel that Mr Macdonald’s cavalier dismissal of the rights of minorities owed much to the philosophy of the 20th century’s leading antismoker, whose first name was Adolf.

In the words of musician Joe Jackson (featured in a Forest advertisement, above, that will appear in the 2008 edition of Blakes Parliamentary Yearbook), "Smokers are now the only minority whose minority status is quoted as justification for abuse."

Behind closed doors

I don't know about you, but I like to spend Saturday mornings drinking coffee, reading the newspapers, listening to Jonathan Ross, catching up on other blogs ... Iain Dale's Diary is consistently good, not just for the political content, but also as a portal to blogs I would never otherwise have heard of.

This morning, for example, I discovered Liberty's Requiem. On Thursday, in a post entitled 'What the jobsworths don't know', blogger DuSanne wrote:

It was a pleasant night in the Village yesterday. It was rounded of in fine style in a local pub that is a bit off my usual well-beaten path and I shall not name it, or even pseudoname it for reasons that will soon become apparent.

Not only was the drink sensibly priced by local standards, but once the crowd had dwindled to a half a dozen and three staff, the doors were locked and curtains closed. Not because it had reached the end of it's licensed hours, but it was about to become 'no longer a public space'. Ashtrays appeared and everyone, including the staff lit up.

I'm not entirely sure if the manager's interpretation of the law was correct, but nobody was going to complain and it was a strange delight to enjoy a cigarette in the time-honoured manner, knowing that what you were doing would drive some small minded jobsworth at the local council offices in to a fit of apoplexy if they knew.

Warmly recommended. See HERE.

Controlling influence

My Forest colleague Neil Rafferty (left) - who formerly worked for the Press Association, Business AM and the Sunday Times and is co-founder of the satirical Daily Mash - has written an excellent article for the party conference issue of Freedom Today, the in-house magazine of the Freedom Association. Here's a taster:

During a recent on-air joust with the good people at ASH, the government-sponsored anti-smoking group, I uttered a 21st century heresy. I declared that I and thousands of others across the UK enjoy tobacco. And I really do. I have particular fondness for compact, tightly rolled and ever so smooth Dominican cigars. Of course, I expected to be scolded by my adversary, but instead the ASH foot soldier went further and informed me that what I was experiencing was not in fact enjoyment, but simply a chemical response to the noxious ingredients of my delightful Vega Finas. At Forest we have become conditioned to ASH's more spurious positions, but this was uncharted territory. Now, it seems, they are able to define and then decree what is and is not enjoyable.

If ASH was just a rag-bag collection of wide-eyed zealots confined to the fringe it would almost be amusing. But instead they are an ever-growing, highly organised and professional lobby group backed by millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money with a direct line to the Department of Health. ASH and other self-appointed public health guardians like the British Medical Association are enjoying greater influence over the direction of public policy, and the distribution of public funds, than at any time in their history.

As well as appearing in Freedom Today, the full article will be available as a downloadable pdf on the new Forest website, to be launched next month.

Fear and loathing in Edinburgh

Day two: this morning I attended a seminar entitled 'Using the media'. For anyone with a media/PR background this was all standard stuff, although you have to admire the creativity behind some of the anti-smoking campaigns.

Some, but not all. For example, we were shown a series of television ads in which cigarettes are replaced by paper whistles. The idea, I suppose, is to associate smoking with behaviour that is obviously childish and irritating, the very opposite of 'cool'. I just thought the concept was stupid.

Another thought struck me. Given the current controversy concerning TV programmes being 'faked', isn't it time that the Advertising Standards Authority came down hard on ads that are similarly fake? I am thinking, in particular, of the so-called 'smoke snake' ads, which we were also shown. You know the ones: computer generated images of 'secondhand' smoke are portrayed as snakes preparing to strike non-smokers nearest and dearest to us, including small children.

It was unsettling to hear health and PR professionals openly admit that two of the key messages driving recent anti-smoking campaigns are 'fear' and 'disgust' - fear of secondhand smoke (which, as many of us know, is greatly exaggerated), and disgust for a perfectly legal habit. If anyone should be disgusted, it's the taxpayer who is funding these unpleasant, spiteful campaigns that are deliberately designed to foster fear and loathing and foist pariah status on a substantial minority of the population.

David Hockney, as I have mentioned before, has spoken of the "uglification of England". Here, in Edinburgh, was proof that the anti-smoking industry will not rest until the uglification process has gripped the entire world.

Named and shamed!

An amusing footnote to the day's events. During the Q&A session in the main auditorium, Cecilia Farren, founder of GASP, a self-styled "smoke-free action website", got hold of the roving mike and asked that anyone associated with Big Tobacco should be invited to stand up for all to see. For some reason, she felt the need to name me personally, implying that I had somehow sneaked in to the conference and was lying low. In her words, "I have never known Simon Clark to be so quiet."

The paranoia of some anti-smoking campaigners never ceases to amaze. Needless to say I was more than happy to jump up and introduce myself to the 400 delegates (who were looking a bit bemused). I just wish they had asked me to address the conference from the stage!

PS. I bumped into Cecilia later and thanked her for the "free publicity". She wasn't happy.

Reasons to be fearful

This afternoon I attended two genuinely interesting workshops. The first was an absolute revelation. In order to assess the impact of the smoking ban on social behaviour, researchers are sent - incognito - into pubs and bars where they conduct "covert observation". Trained to watch and record events without attracting the attention of staff or customers, they avoid detection by using crosswords or sudoku grids to jot down notes which they then elaborate upon back in the office.

One researcher told us she had to "dress down" and remove any jewellery before entering some bars, in case she gave herself away. She spoke of witnessing drug deals, but turned a blind eye because her job was to monitor people's smoking habits! Apparently, this type of work has been going on for years, but usually with a view to observing the behaviour of gangs and neo-Nazi groups. To this little list we can now add smokers.

A second workshop revealed the results of the public consultation that followed the publication of the EU's Green Paper, 'Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level'. I had a particular interest in this because, aside from the tobacco industry, Forest was one of only four 'smoker NGOs' to submit a response.

In total, 17 governments and four parliaments replied to the consultation which was launched in January with the EC declaring (with no hint of impartiality):

Cigarette smoke can kill you even if you never light-up yourself.  That is why the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the best way to promote smoke-free environments across the EU.

The Green Paper examines the health and economic burdens associated with passive smoking, public support for smoking bans and takes stock of measures taken at national and EU level are all examined.

The paper presents the pros and cons for five options ranging from maintaining the status quo to binding legislation.  In conclusion, the Commission believes that a comprehensive smoke-free policy would bring the greatest health benefits to European citizens.

EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou added:

"Passive smoking kills more than 79,000 adults each year in the EU. The evidence from European countries with comprehensive smoke-free policies is that they work, produce results and are popular. A Eurobarometer survey found more than 80% of EU members of the public in favour of a ban on smoking in workplaces and indoor public places. The question is, how can we build on the trend towards smoke-free environments in member states, and what should be the extent of the EU's involvement?"

Given this view of smoking (and passive smoking in particular), the result of the 'consultation' will come as little surprise. Given five policy options, ranging from no action needed (status quo) to binding legislation across Europe, only the Dutch opted for the status quo. Four (Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and Denmark) support exemptions for some hospitality venues (bars, for example), but France and Poland want smoking bans to extend to entrances to buildings and even some outdoor areas.

The health sector, needless to say, wants a comprehensive ban, with some non-smoker NGOs calling for a ban in outdoor areas such as parks and beaches. The tobacco industry was unanimous in calling for exemptions, although the nature of the exemptions varied slightly. Interestingly, the UK and Slovenia are opposed to binding EC legislation on the grounds that it may not be robust (ie comprehensive) enough - which seems a good reason to support it!

Unbelievable!

Day one of a two-day international conference entitled 'Towards a Smoke-Free Society' sponsored by the Scottish Government (nee Executive) and other taxpayer-funded organisations. I arrived at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), grabbed a cup of coffee, bumped into an old sparring partner (Paul Hooper of ASH), and together we made our way into the main auditorium for the opening session.

One of the first speakers was Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer in Scotland, who told the audience - 400 people from almost 40 countries - that the Scottish ban was introduced with the overwhelming support of the Scottish people. He said this while keeping a straight face which is some achievement because, according to the Scottish Executive's own research, only 13 per cent of people in Scotland supported a comprehensive ban prior to its introduction. But why let details like that get in the way when you're trying to convince Asia, the Americas and the rest of Europe to copy a draconian piece of legislation?

Chief topic of conversation in the morning was the report claiming that the number of non-smokers admitted to hospital with a heart attack fell by 20 per cent in the ten months after the public smoking ban came into force in March 2006. This information was of course leapt upon with relish by delegates who could scarcely believe their luck. Whether there is a direct causal link is another matter. The anti-smoking movement has played fast and loose with the facts for so long that many of us treat almost everything they say with a pinch of salt. Why should this be different?

Farewell, GNER

I'm writing this on board a Great North Eastern Railway train to Edinburgh. On December 9 GNER will hand the east coast franchise to National Express. I have mixed feelings about this, not least because - in my mind - I associate National Express with (often uncomfortable) long distance coach travel.

The longest journey I ever did by coach was Aberdeen-London. That was with Stagecoach, and it was a double-decker bus, not a coach. But in my penniless early twenties (when owning a car was out of the question) it was National Express I usually turned to for those overnight treks from London to Edinburgh when passengers invariably arrived hungry, tired and dishevelled.

In contrast, I have fond memories of GNER. I was (and still am) a huge fan of privatisation. My old friend Madsen Pirie, who runs the hugely influential Adam Smith Institute, once said, "If it moves, privatise it", and I endorse this completely. Yes, yes, I know that privatisation of the railways hasn't been an overwhelming success (how could it?), and there are a lot of things wrong with the network, but what we've got (including the level of investment) is far better than pre-privatisation. 

As an arch disciple of privatisation (and someone who grew up with ramshackle old British Rail) I remember to this day the pleasure I felt when I clapped eyes on my first 'privatised' train - a GNER locomotive, in what was to become the company's distinctive blue livery, at King's Cross station.

Since then I have travelled on GNER many, many times, and rarely have I been disappointed by the service - or seriously delayed. To be honest, I prefer, whenever possible, to drive, but that has less to do with the train companies and more to do with the independence and flexibility that a car can offer.

Anyway, if this is to be my last-but-one journey with GNER (I return to London on Wednesday), I for one will be sorry to see them go. National Express East Coast? Doesn't sound quite right, does it?

Top of the Fopps

I spent most of last week in Cambridge - where Forest has an office - and I was pleased to see that the local branch of Fopp has re-opened, two months after the independent music store was forced to close every one of its 105 shops. Thanks to HMV, six Fopp stores - three in Scotland, three in England - have been resuscitated, and Cambridge was one of the lucky ones.

Hopefully, HMV will allow Fopp to continue in its own, idiosyncratic way. I don't know about you, but I hate shopping in megastores such as Virgin or, indeed, HMV. It's not a relaxing environment and - at my age - I feel totally out of place. The music department in a chain such as Borders doesn't do it for me either - the choice is way too limited.

Fopp is different. It reminds me of the tiny, independent record shop in South Street, St Andrews, where, 34 years ago, I bought my first Velvet Underground album. (None of the bigger shops had even heard of it, let along stocked it.) I loved shops like that. (Remember the record shop in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity? It was similar.) Needless to say it closed down years (decades) ago, together with hundreds, possibly thousands, of similar stores throughout the country.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not against the Virgins of this world (ditto Tesco, Sainsbury, Currys, PC World etc). I just want choice. The loss of Fopp wouldn't stop me buying the CDs and DVDs I want, but it would deny me a retail environment I and many other people enjoy.

A free society needs diversity. If you agree, pop into Fopp (Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Cambridge) today.