Two thirds of Brits back Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban, new poll finds

TWO thirds of the public back Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban, according to a new poll.

The YouGov survey shows 67 per cent of people in England support outlawing the sale of fags to anyone born after 2009.

The policy gets the nod from 74 per cent of Tory voters, while 72 per cent of Labour backers also agree.

A new law formalising the ban is expected to pass through Parliament before a general election next year.

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, hailed the policy as a cross party win for the health of the country.

She said: “This is not a party-political issue in the UK, successive governments, backed by strong public and parliamentary support, have passed increasingly stringent tobacco regulations aimed at bringing the smoking epidemic to an end.

“The passing of the smokefree generation legislation promised in the King’s Speech, backed by increased investment to help adult smokers quit, can put us in pole position to achieve a smokefree future.”

Tory MP Bob Blackman, whose mother died from lung cancer aged 47, said: “For me this is deeply personal.

“No one wants to see children start smoking which is why support for this policy is so high across the political spectrum.

“As MPs we see the impact smoking has in our communities and many of us have experience in our own lives too.”