Downing Street Says » Smoking Bill

» Monday, February 13, 2006

Smoking Bill

Asked if the Prime Minster had a view, the PMOS said the Prime Minister had a view but whether he expressed that view tomorrow was a matter for the Prime Minister. It was a free vote and as such we did not brief on the Prime Minister’s position. It was the Prime Minister’s view that MPs should make up their own minds. Asked if the Prime Minister supported the manifesto, the PMOS said the Prime Minster supported the manifesto but this was a free vote.

Asked if the Prime Minister was reluctant to set out his position because backbenchers might oppose it, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister traditionally let backbenchers make up their own minds on free vote issues. Put to the PMOS that the Prime Minister had allowed a free vote because he had not wanted to lose, the PMOS said that the question presumed that we had only announced the free vote recently, which we had not. It had been announced several weeks ago.

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