Boris Johnson blasts Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban as ‘absolutely nuts’ and gives him a kicking on defence spending
BORIS Johnson has blasted Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban as ”absolutely nuts” – and gave him a kicking on defence spending.
The former PM said it was “mad” the party of Winston Churchill is outlawing cigars – telling his predecessor to “give me a break”.
Mr Sunak is pushing ahead with his flagship policy to end smoking by increasing the legal age to buy tobacco each year.
But the move has been ruffling feathers among some Tory MPs, who view it as a “nanny state” intervention.
Speaking at a conservative event in Canadian capital Ottawa, Mr Johnson joined the chorus of opposition as he slammed “some of the things that we are doing… in the name of conservatism”.
He said: “We are, on the whole, in favour of freedom and it is that single Anglo-Saxon idea of freedom that I think unites conservatives, or should unite conservatives.
“And when I look at some of the things that we are doing now, or that are being done in the name of conservatism, I think they are absolutely nuts.”
Mr Johnson added: “When the party of Winston Churchill wants to ban cigars, donnez-moi un break as they say in Quebec, it’s just mad.”
The smoking ban will be the subject of a free vote when MPs debate the legislation for the first time on April 16.
The former PM also used his appearance at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference to urge Mr Sunak to boost defence cash.
The Government is under growing pressure to increase defence spending to above 2.5 per cent of national income.
Mr Johnson said: “Now is the moment for an even more robust posture.
“We all need to recognise the world is more uncertain, more dangerous, we all need frankly to be spending more on defence — that goes for the UK as well as everybody else.”
It has been rumoured Mr Johnson could return to the campaign trail at the general election this year in a bid to boost the Tories’ chances, particularly in the “Red Wall” in the North and Midlands.
Mr Sunak told The Sun’s politics show Never Mind the Ballots Mr Johnson would be welcome to join the campaign.
He said: “I spoke to him in person at the end of last year.
“Anyone from the Conservative family who wants to see a Conservative reelected and who doesn’t think Keir Starmer is the right person to lead our country will be welcome on the campaign trail.”