Boris in smoking ban row
Jump to full article: This is London (Associated Newspapers) (uk), 2008-04-17
Author: Paul Waugh and Katharine Barney 17.04.08
Intro: Boris Johnson was plunged into a row over the smoking ban today after it emerged he had taken upto £10,000 from the tobacco industry.
The Tory mayoral candidate triggered criticism when he declared he wanted an "online referendum" to give Londoners a say on whether they wanted the ban overturned.
But Mr Johnson came under further fire when it was revealed that he had pocketed "between £5,000 and £10,000" for a speech to the Association of Tobacco last year. The payment is listed in the MPs' Register of Interests for June 2007.
Mr Johnson's new policy was revealed in an online webchat with The Sun today. . . .
Ken Livingstone said: "Boris Johnson's minders are again desperately scrabbling to conceal his real positions. The smoking ban represents one of the biggest health improvements we have seen, and Boris Johnson's admission that he wants to give boroughs the power to overturn the ban on smoking to pubs and clubs, shows he is hopelessly out of touch to be the Mayor of a modern, forward looking city like London.
"It is made even worse by the fact that it follows a donation from a tobacco group. The smoking ban has been hugely successful and is very popular with Londoners." . . .
The Boris Johnson campaign said that he "was engaged to deliver a speech to the Tobacco Association on June 20th 2007 as part of his JLA Speakers Agency work".
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