Simon Danczuk
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Simon Danczuk was the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Rochdale (Greater Manchester, England) from 2010 to 2017.
Relationship with the Tobacco Industry
Accepted Tobacco Hospitality
Whilst serving as MP, Danczuk took hospitality from Japan Tobacco International (JTI) on two occasions.12
In October 2015, Danczuk accepted one Rugby World Cup 2015 ticket and hospitality from the tobacco company, worth £1,650.1 In August 2011, he accepted two tickets to the England vs India cricket test match at the Oval and hospitality from the company, worth £1,389.60.2
Danczuk’s actions breached the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), to which the UK Government is a signatory. The Framework states that parties should “interact with the tobacco industry only when and to the extent strictly necessary to enable them to effectively regulate the tobacco industry and tobacco products”.3
According to a news report, JTI spent £23,000 entertaining MPs in 2011, the year that the UK Parliament voted on a law banning smoking in cars.4 For more details, see Tobacco Industry Hospitality for UK Politicians.
Opposed Tobacco Control Measures in the UK
Voted For and Against Smoking Ban in Cars
In June 2011, Danczuk voted against a Private Member’s Bill banning smoking in cars carrying children.5 The bill was supported by the British Lung Foundation.6
However, three years later he supported a new bill which required private vehicles to be smoke-free when there was a person under the age of 18 in the vehicle. 7
TobaccoTactics Resources
Relevant Link
Profile of Simon Danczuk on TheyWorkForYou website.
TCRG Research
- O. Maynard, K. Evans-Reeves, Flower shows and festivals: tobacco industry hospitality and MP voting, The Guardian, 16 March 2015