“I’m getting used to the Authorities nicking Labour’s insurance policies,” Wes Streeting declared in triumph as he spoke in favour of the Tobacco and Vapes Invoice.
How the Shadow Well being Secretary’s colleagues laughed as he listed the insurance policies which in keeping with him, ministers have stolen from Labour.
Streeting recalled that in an interview with The Occasions in January final yr he had mentioned “it was time for a New Zealand-style smoking ban”, of the type since adopted by the Authorities.
He proclaimed “our dominance within the battle of concepts”, crowed that “the place Labour leads the Conservatives observe”, and famous that there are “members on the benches reverse…who nonetheless resist the brand new interventionist consensus”.
Victoria Atkins, the Well being Secretary, who had simply launched the Invoice, had the great grace to snort at Streeting’s sallies, and so did Sir Simon Clarke, one of many band of Conservative rebels gathered within the far nook of the Chamber.
Liz Truss, sitting subsequent to Clarke, was not amused. Streeting reminded the Home that she has described the Invoice as “profoundly unconservative…I agree with the previous Prime Minister,” and mocked “the Trussites within the nook” for selling a “libertarian dystopia”.
Clarke rose to that, mentioned he proudly calls himself a libertarian, and requested “why on earth we need to create an enormous black market” in tobacco by banning it.
Truss spoke subsequent, and took goal at “the intuition of this Institution which is mirrored by the cross-party consensus” within the Chamber, which believes “the Authorities are higher at making selections than folks themselves”, an outlook which “successfully infantilises folks”.
In accordance Truss, not one among her constituents in Norfolk has ever expressed concern to her about grownup smoking, it’s the Well being Police who’ve promoted the plan, and “I’m disenchanted {that a} Conservative Authorities is bringing ahead this Invoice”.
If folks wished, she mentioned, to vote for “finger-wagging, nannying management freaks”, there have been loads of these on the benches reverse.
Atkins, as she launched the Invoice, mentioned “there isn’t a secure stage of smoking and no secure tobacco product”. She was good-humoured, and took loads of interventions, however the Trussites of their nook weren’t amused.
Streeting every now and then burst out laughing. He sees the way in which clear earlier than him. “We’re the masters now,” his manner mentioned; maybe even “I’m the grasp now”.