tito

Why don't you go write that on UKIP@Home? I think you will find Nigel started smoking again because of the ban (allegedly)
I also think you will find that the libertarian members of UKIP would naturally oppose it.

kernow

When the health of the majority is affected by the actions of the minority, then in my opinion it is OK for the will of the majority to be imposed!

Niall Warry

This is the WHOLE problem with UKIP trying to get involved in policies no two UKIPers see things the same. What about hunting, seal culling,experiments on animals,abortion, capital punishment etc. Let's STOP wasting out time trying to prepare for government and
instead of directing all our energy into trying to hasten the day we leave the EU.

kernow

You're quite right, we can argue over various policies as much as we like but if we don't get out of the EU first, we might as well shout at a wall for all the difference it'll make!

g hall

kernowThat's an in interesting thought for a Libertarian

What happens if the majority want to create genocide viz Rwanda ?

__________________
"That government is best which governs least."
"This is a sharp Medicine, but it is a Physician for all diseases and miseries".
"To be "matter of fact" about the world is to blunder into fantasy --and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful."

kernow

Agreed! there is no answer to that!

kernow

I can't remember if anybody has mentioned yet on this smoking section. What taxes are the government going to raise to compensate for the tax loss from smoking. I stopped smoking 7 years ago and I think the tax then was about 80p a packet, which for me worked out at £11.20 per week!

harryaldridge

The health issue surrounding smoking does make it different to other activities like drinking. However i don;t see any conflict with the basic libertarian view that "a man's right to swing his fist stops where my nose begins" so long as there is a choice of location. It would only be bad if non-smokers were forced to share the same air.

As for genocide, it is a very interesting issue. Is this where Blair gets his idea of "liberal interventionism" from? Do we have a duty to the rest of the world or is it up to the people of those countries to rise up against their own leaders?

And as for tax. Well, i have made this point many times before. IIRC something like £9bn is raised in duty from cigarettes. It will have to come from somewhere else. And no it wont be recovered from less cost to the NHS because smoking costs the NHS about £2-3bn. Plus of course the moment the ban was passed in parliament, pension liabilities jumped by £20bn.

BASILDON BOY

So where was the debate, the NEC vote or the demand from members to make this UKIP policy?

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Mike Nattrass MEP is HOT HOT HOT!!!

tito

We are libertarians, it sort of explains itself.