CONGRATULTIONS to Cancer Research UK which led a successful campaign for plain standardised packaging for cigarettes.
I joined the UK campaign because smoking is a childhood addiction, not an adult choice, with two thirds of smokers starting to smoke before the age of 18 years.
Esther McVey, my Wirral West MP, responded to me promising her support for this measure.
However, she voted against it, claiming the evidence was not conclusive.
The evidence from Australia where plain, standardised packaging was introduced two years ago is so overwhelming that most MPs and the Conservative public health minister were convinced.
Ms McVey now says she is concerned about jobs in the smoking industry in the North West.
The fact is there are only 325 workers in the whole of the UK working in the manufacture of cigarette packing. There is no evidence fewer workers will be required to make plain, standardised cigarette packets.
Tony Murphy by email.
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