Whats going on here?

Question

The government are giving local councils £30 million, so they can employ thousands of staff to catch people having a cigarette when the smoking ban in public places comes into force in July!!There is going to be COVERT operations in pubs, clubs,restaurants, etc, etc, etc.I'm sure there are hundreds of other worthwhile causes this money could be going on. Is it just me, or are we ALL going barmy?

Answer 1

New York City implemented a similar policy in 2002. I was flabbergasted that they would use up valuable resources right after we were attacked!

Yes, I am a smoker, but that has little bearing on how I feel about the subject. I am a respectful smoker who asks before lighting up in front of others. I don't have a problem going outside if asked, but to have government interferring really hurts the mom and pop bars and restaurants here.

I say put those resources to work in other ways - terrorism, child perpetrators, dead beat parents, violent crime - there are so many other things that the government should be focused on!

Thanks for the question...it gets me riled!

Answer 2

Obviously this has to be policed to start off with, the local councils may send their agents out for a few days once the ban comes into force and then do spot checks every so often, but they do this anyway to ensure that the licence is being complied with anyway for each pub.
At the end of the day, if a few publicans ignore the ban and do not stop the customers from smoking, well so much the better, maybe everyone will come to learn that 'Human Rights' are not just for smokers, but for everyone!

Answer 3

No, it's not just you. I despair that common sense has gone out the window. It would be laughable if it weren't so serious. That £30m has been squeezed form somewhere else that probably needs it. A hospital local to me has issued a decree that every third light bulb - for heaven's sake - should be turned off to save electricity. Re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic...

Incidentally, today I went past my kid's youth club, council-run, used only two evenings a week, and saw the lights on but the door padlocked.

We also had the story of a rehabilitation project having to close due to Council funding cuts - they do good work teaching trades, such as watch-repairing, to amputees & other victims of serious accidents. It was heartbreaking to see such a positive project closed. Short-sighted, or what?

Balance that against, if you will, our Government's scheme to send ordinary people and others, like Dr Socranie the Muslim spokesman, on nice jollies to various parts of the world, flying business class, to promote - wait for it - positive British attitudes to people in the Muslim world, in the hope that it will make them not want to come over and bomb us. The sheer incompetence, arrogance and stupidity of the PC-brigade makes my blood boil.

Answer 4

This kind of ridiculous behaviour is typical of the current government.

It's not like the NHS needs funding, or our troops need more equipment is it?

I wonder whether the bar in the House of Commons will be subject to the same ban and scrutiny-or will it be exempt as a 'private members club'?

Mind you I recon the applications for that job will be through the roof-officially allowed to go to the pub, a civil service pension and an expense account no doubt!

If we didn't know they meant it you'd think it was April Fools day come early.

Answer 5

Govt should give the money for people who need it the most, but not to check is pub ok with smoking. It's total madnes.. Now it will be hard to wait for the bus, which is late again, without ciggy, going mad, because busdrivers are always late, so i am late to work(believe me even if i'm trying to get the earlist bus it is late). Than my blood pressure raises, I feel bad, I can't smoke, i have to wait for merciful driver. I'll get the heart attack. Maybe instead of checking on people govt would invest in better buses and road guards who would resolve morning and every traffic? Ha!

Answer 6

Why don't this money hungry Blair's lot get stuffed and if they want to ban cigarettes stop selling them.

Cant do that though so their answer is sell less ciggys and make more on them per packet that way this greedy load of B.....rds that govern us can still have all that lovely dosh for the Iraq war.
Soon if Blairs lot save up quickly they can blow more money on waring with Iran.

Blair you are an Idiot of the none human kind.

War criminal.

Answer 7

we are a bit mad but I do have to agree with the smoking ban as I have only 1 lung now due top passive smoking from when I worked in pubs and restaurants. It will be nice to go out after July and not come home stinking off smoke though.

Anyway we are British give us a rule and we usually do as we are told!

Answer 8

Bush & Blair & their cronies are the barmy thieves.

This is a joke £20million will be put in their back pockets for property & share investments etc.

Where does our heavy taxes go.

Police & NHS aint no good & as we are at the bottom in the World in respect of Child Poverty our Politicians should bow their heads in shame.

Answer 9

i am a non smoker but i think the labour party have gone off the wall. to target smokers is lunacy- have these morons got other more important things to do than monitor people having a ciggie? i'd say they do. and £30 million? what a waste of time and money. blair and co have gone so PC it's utterly ridiculous. no wonder we are living what is now known as a 'nanny state'

Answer 10

Definitely going barmy. What a waste of public money.