Brian Binley

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Brian Binley stood as the Conservative MP for Northampton South, East Midlands,England (2005 – 2015).1

He was also the vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Save The Pub Group.

Relationship with the Tobacco Industry

Accepted Tobacco Industry Hospitality

In May 2011, Binley accepted two tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show from Japan Tobacco International, worth £1,132.80, and two tickets at Glyndebourne worth £1,132.80.2

JTI spent £23,000 entertaining MPs in the UK in six months during 2011.3 For more details, see Tobacco Industry Hospitality for UK Politicians.

Opposed Tobacco Control Measures in the UK

Against SmokeFree Legislation

Binley supported the Save Our Pubs and Clubs campaign which proposed that the public smoking ban in the UK “is excessive and should be amended”.4 The campaign is run by Forest, a tobacco industry funded campaign group.5

On 6 July 2010, Binley tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons calling for a review of the smoking ban.6 Binley said:

”Many pubs and clubs are finding it difficult dealing with the economic situation; the smoking ban has further impacted on many businesses and the trade is really struggling. I want to consider a balanced and proportionate amendment to the legislation, which allows for segregated smoking rooms or areas within pubs, bars and clubs provided that effective smoke extraction systems of an authorised standard are installed.”7

In October 2010, he voted for the smoking ban to be overturned.89

Against Point of Sale Display Ban

In December 2010, Binley signed a letter demanding that the tobacco display ban be reconsidered.10

He also signed an EDM about The Freedom Association.11

Against Plain Packaging

Binley was one of the 50 MPs who wrote to the then Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in 2012 expressing serious concerns over plain packaging proposals.12

“There is no reliable evidence that plain packaging will have any public health benefit; no country in the world has yet to introduce it. However, such a measure could have extremely negative consequences elsewhere. The proposal will be a smuggler’s charter. … this policy threatens more than 5,500 jobs directly employed by the UK tobacco sector, and over 65,000 valued jobs in the associated supply chain. … Given the continued difficult economic climate, businesses should not be subjected to further red tape and regulation”

Voted Against Amendments to the Children and Families Bill

In February 2014, Binley was one of only 24 MPs who voted against tabled amendments to the Children and Families Bill which would enable the UK government to:13

1. Introduce regulations requiring plain packaging for tobacco products;

2. Introduce regulations making it an offence to sell e-cigarettes to children under 18;

3. Make it an offence for an adult to buy cigarettes for anyone under the age of 18 (proxy purchasing).1415

A massive 453 MPs voted in favour of the amendments.

TobaccoTactics Resources

Relevant Link

Profile of Brian Binley on TheyWorkForYou website.

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References

  1. ↑UK Parliament website, MPs, Lords and Offices, accessed May 2015
  2. ↑House of Commons Publications, Register of Members’ Financial Interests – 13th December 2011 report, 13 December 2011, accessed December 2011
  3. ↑M. Goslett, K. Gladdis, ‘Tobacco firm gave thousands of pounds worth of hospitality to nine MPs who opposed smoking bill’, Daily Mail, 23 November 2011, accessed December 2011
  4. ↑AmendTheSmokingBan.com, About us, undated, accessed June 2011
  5. ↑AmendTheSmokingBan.com, ‘Our Supporters’, undated, accessed December 2011
  6. ↑House of Commons,Early day motion 406 – Review of smoking ban in pubs and clubs, 6 July 2010, accessed December 2011
  7. ↑T. Montgomerie, Brian Binley MP wants review of smoking ban, ConservativeHome, 6 July 2010, accessed December 2011
  8. ↑J. Isaby, David Nuttall’s attempt to relax the smoking ban falls at the first hurdle – but 77 Tory MPs vote for his Bill (with 38 opposing it), ConservativeHome, 14 October 2010, accessed December 2011
  9. ↑Brian Binley’s blog,Brian Binley backs campaign to save local businesses, 25 August 2010, accessed December 2011
  10. ↑P. Goodman, Fifty Conservative MPs demand a free vote on shop tobacco display ban, ConservativeHome, 18 December 2010, accessed December 2011
  11. ↑House of Commons website,Early day motion 1233 – BBC, The Freedom Association and Norris McWhirter, 21 December 2010, accessed December 2011
  12. ↑M. Barrett, 34 Conservative MPs write to Andrew Lansley to express “serious concerns” about plain tobacco packaging, Conservative Home, 2 July 2012, accessed February 2015
  13. ↑Hansard,Children and Families Bill (Programme No. 3), House of Commons Debates, 10 February 2014, accessed February 2015
  14. ↑S. MacGuill. House of Enablers – Does anything now go for tobacco control in the UK? Euromonitor International, 11 February 2014
  15. ↑Smokefree Action Coalition. SFAC welcomes Parliament’s support for a package of measures to reduce smoking and protect children. Smokefree Action Coalition News, 10 February 2014

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