Starmer confirms government considering smoking crackdown, potentially outside pubs

Prospect widely criticised by hospitality bosses, who said it would be an overreach of the state and another potential blow to their income

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Smoking in Britain has been banned inside pubs, restaurants and most workplaces since 2007. Photo: AP

Published: 8:32pm, 29 Aug 2024Updated: 6:31am, 30 Aug 2024

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed on Thursday that his government is looking at introducing tougher anti-smoking measures, which could potentially see a ban on smoking in outdoor spaces, including at pubs and restaurants.

His confirmation came after the Sun newspaper said a ban on smoking outside in pub gardens, outdoors in pubs and restaurants, and outside facilities such as hospitals, universities and sports grounds, was under discussion.

The prospect was widely criticised by hospitality bosses, who said it would be an overreach of the state and another potential blow to their finances.

Smoking in Britain has been banned inside pubs, restaurants and most workplaces since 2007. Still, smoking-related illnesses remain a drain on the National Health Service, costing it more than ₤2.5 billion (US$3.3 billion) a year in England alone, according to figures from the National Health Service (NHS).

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage smokes outside the Westminster Arms pub in Westminster, London on Thursday. Photo: PA Wire / dpa

“My starting point on this is to remind everybody that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking,” Starmer said in Paris while visiting French President Emmanuel Macron.

“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 action to reduce the burden on the NHS and the taxpayer.”