Smoking ban receives fresh support after Nigel Farage vows he will ‘never go to pub again’ if implemented

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage threatened many people with a good time on Thursday, after penning a piece for The Telegraph in which he declared he would “never go to the pub again” if Keir Starmer introduces new restrictions on smoking outdoors.

The Clacton MP, who recently sparked ridicule for claiming a trip to the US just weeks after being elected was to “support a friend” (Donald Trump, who he never met) and “represent” his constituency “on the world stage”, wrote the op-ed after The Sun published leaked government plans to extend the indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor locations.

The paper lists pub gardens, outdoor restaurants, small parks, and hospitals as places impacted by the new crackdown, as Labour considers implementing measures introduced in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill brought forward by Rishi Sunak’s government, before the draft bill was dropped due to the general election.

Speaking to reporters in Paris, Starmer pointed out that “over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking” – a “preventable death”.

He continued: “It’s a huge burden on the NHS and, of course, it’s a burden on the taxpayer. So yes, we are going to take decisions in this space.

“More details will be revealed, but this is a preventable series of deaths, and we’ve got to take the action to reduce the burden on the NHS and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

“I think it’s important to get the balance right, but everybody watching this who uses the NHS will know that it’s on its knees.

“We have to relieve the burden, and that’s why I spoke before the election about moving to a preventative model when it comes to health.”

A ban on outdoor smoking in particular locations wasn’t one of the many legislative proposals outlined in last month’s King’s Speech, but The Sun says it’s now being considered amid fears “too many Brits are suffering from second-hand smoke inhalation”.

Except Farage, who has been snapped countless times with a pint in one hand and a cigarette in another while out and about, believes the new measures mean “the death knell of the traditional British pub may well have been sounded”.

He writes: “Once again, the Labour Party is showing its authoritarian socialist state control instincts and mentality. The rumoured ban on smoking in pub gardens or on the pavement outside pubs will kill off the traditional pub forever.

“For my own part, I simply would not go to the pub ever again if these restrictions are imposed … The Puritans are on the march. We must all be controlled for our own good.”

Offering up a number of political prophecies, too, Farage also claims the “anti-alcohol debate” will intensify “over the coming years”, and predicts that the next Conservative Party leader – either Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Dame Priti Patel or Mel Stride - will “go along with a ban on smoking in virtually all areas”.

It’s obvious that Farage’s warning he’ll no longer visit a local – as an established pub pundit – was designed to be shocking and alarming, but plenty of people have had completely the opposite reaction, expressing joy and excitement at the possibility of having a Farage-free experience at the boozer:

Some referenced the iconic Onion article headline:

But there’s also people who think Farage’s comments about smoking are a load of hot air (sorry):

And it’s not the only instance of the Reform UK politician facing ridicule in recent days, as he’s been compared to talkRadio host Mike Graham (of ‘growing concrete’ infamy) over his reaction to a man who threw a coffee cup at him on the general election campaign trail avoiding jail time.

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