On the eve of the smoking ban five years ago, hundreds of liberty lovers came together to rebel and enjoy one last night of freedom. A reunion was held on the eve of the anniversary this week of the ban by smokers lobby group Forest.
In the Scottish jazz heaven of Boisdale Canary Wharf, the biggest table thumping cheer of the night came from a reference to ‘David Cameron’s neo-facist nanny state.’ But this was far from a right wing knees up. While the claret and Chivas Regal kept the crowd lubricated, all strands of political thought came together with righty James Delingpole and lefty Claire Fox treating the crowds to a rally against the state interference.
Delingpole, a preacher of this parish, was on particularly bombastic form, declaring that he was: ‘a denier, I am a smoker and I am a drug taker.’
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