British Medical Journal hosts strong attack on Ken Clarke's tobacco interests

Mike Daube, Professor of Health Policy at the Curtin University of Technology, Australia, uses a column in the British Medical Journal to launch a stinging attack on Ken Clarke's involvement with British American Tobacco.  He makes ill-founded claims that companies such as BAT will enjoy "access at the highest levels" should Mr Clarke become Tory leader.  This is based on Mr Clarke's role as health minister in the early 1980s when an Observer article alleged that Government-tobacco industry relations "bordered on the improper".  Professor Daube's other concerns may be thought to be fairer.

The Australia-based academic begins his article by noting Benjamin Disraeli's contention that "The first consideration of a minister should be the health of the people."  He thinks that it is unacceptable for a former Health Secretary to be working in an industry which has such a negative impact on people's health.  He is particularly concerned at Mr Clarke's involvement with promoting tobacco to young people:

"[Ken Clarke] defends his company's activities with lines tobacco manufacturers have used for 50 years: "BAT did not want to sell their products to children and did not aim their products at children." This lacks credibility in London, let alone in developing countries, where children know little about the dangers of smoking but cannot miss BAT's aggressive advertising.  Clarke even (for an extra £25 000) became chairman of British American Racing, which in the words of BAT's advisers reaches "young people (who) are traditionally early adopters of new media capabilities and consequently a very receptive audience.""

Mr Clarke has pledged to sever his links with BAT if he becomes Tory leader.

Comments

[Wat Tyler]

Once upon a time, long long ago, I was even more naive than I am now. And I used to believe publications such as the BMJ and the Lancet were organs of objective truth.

God knows, I'm no fan of Ken's, but BMJ, perleese...

[Selsdon Man]

The BMA is a becoming a militant trade union that promotes health fascism. Being attacked by them is a badge of honour for anyone who believes in personal freedom.

[henry curteis]

This leadership contest must surely be penned for evermore as the 'drugs' contest. What a red herring this is, when there are real live issues of corruption within the Conservative Party being completely ignored by the media.

Only one Conservative MEP - Roger Helmer (East Midlands) has spoken out in the European Parliament to call Barroso the Head of the Commission to account for financial malpractice. As soon as he did this, he was assaulted by Howard's henchmen who have tried to silence him ever since.

Ken Clarke has dismissed him as an eccentric, ill-disciplined member of the party - offering no support to Roger's campaign to stop EU corruption, and falsely stating on national radio that Helmer has had the Conservative whip removed by Michael Howard in person.

He has refused to retract the statement or apologise to Roger Helmer - in fact he has completely ignored his requests.

So there are questions for Ken Clarke to answer. Does he approve of all the financial malpractice at the EU? Why does he offer no support to Roger Helmer who is trying to do something about it? Why is he attacking Roger Helmer in the media?

Ken Clarke is a friend of corruption. He has no right to stand for party leader. He must be got rid of as soon as possible. He is a total disgrace to his party, let alone his 'drugs' preferences.

[henry curteis]

Let Roger speak to Ken Clarke in person.
visit www.rogerhelmer.com for latest on the Conservative Party's attempts to silence Roger's lonely fight against EU corruption.

Open letter to Ken Clarke

The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP 3 September 2005
House of Commons
Westminster
London SW1A 0AA

Dear Kenneth

World at One, September 1st

On this programme, you declared that Michael Howard had withdrawn the Conservative Whip from me. This was a false, damaging and prejudicial allegation, and you chose to make it on one of the nation's highest-profile radio programmes.

Many concerned constituents have written to the leader on the question of the reinstatement of the whip, and his office has repeatedly insisted that the question was an internal matter for the Conservative delegation in Brussels.

In fact the whip was withdrawn by delegation leader Timothy Kirkhope and Chief Whip Philip Bradbourn, because I insisted on fulfilling a clear manifesto commitment to highlight cronyism and malpractice in the European institutions, despite firm instructions from Kirkhope and Bradbourn, backed by disciplinary threats, not to do so.

In the circumstances, I believe that the least that I can expect is that you should issue a public retraction of this damaging allegation. And an apology would not come amiss. I look forwad to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

ROGER HELMER

[EU Serf]

I am no fan of Ken (surprised?) but I hate the attacks on him over BAT. The man is selling a legal product, that he is only too happy to use himself. Whats the problem??

[Jack Stone]

If fellow Conservatives continue to fight elections by trying to smear fellow conservatives it will not only result in the party staying in opposition it will also mean a lot of extremely talented people who could serve both the party and our country well not putting themseleves forward for the leadership because they will be unwilling to put themselves and there families at the mercy of politcians with no sense of whats right and wrong.

[kris]

It appears that both Cameron and Clarke have been smeared before they even become opposition leader. Can we assume this is a carefully orchestrated campaign from the right of the party to ensure that they retain power over the party?

[Sean Fear]

No. Just as much vitriol has been flung at David Davis by certain sections of the media.

[Selsdon Man]

"Clarke even (for an extra £25 000) became chairman of British American Racing, which in the words of BAT's advisers reaches "young people (who) are traditionally early adopters of new media capabilities and consequently a very receptive audience.""

BAR is pulling out of Formula One next year (sold out to Honda) so the sponsorship could not have been a spectacular success.

[Henry Cook]

BAR are pulling out of Formula 1 next year because it will be illegal for a British team to advertise tobacco - up until now the sponsorship has been a great success. I speak as a huge Jenson Button fan!

"The man is selling a legal product, that he is only too happy to use himself."

Some articles in the past have suggested that BAT has not acted ethically and potentially illegally in the promotion of cigarettes in the Far East.

However, I don't think Ken should be held personally accountable for what the company do. If the accusations were accurate though, Ken would have been wise to distance himself from them.

[Wat Tyler]

Hey, hey, hey...anonymous- what do you think company directors are for? If they're not responsible for what the company does, who is?

[Ronald Collinson]

Well, there's no denying that Ken is a Death Merchan. This definitely counts against him. On the other hand, I doubt that he's complicit in BAT's dealings in other countries (of course, not knowing its internal structure, I could be wrong).

Certainly, he should distance himself from the company. He should also stop smoking (for the sake of his wife and his party, if nothing else) and stop promoting smoking (for the sake of everybody else).

I can't stand these arguments about smoking being the choice of an individual. If somebody was a friendless nothing, alone in the world, he or she might have an excuse to smoke, but most people have responsibilities. Smoking is deeply selfish, and morally abhorrent.

All that said, there are a lot of smokers, and the tobacco salesmen (in Britain itself, anyway) are no worse than they are. It is, much as I dislike the fact, legal, and I don't think that his complicity in Death should count against him very much.

(Gosh, that was a very painful sentence)

[Mark O'Brien]

'[Ken Clarke] defends his company's activities with lines tobacco manufacturers have used for 50 years: "BAT did not want to sell their products to children and did not aim their products at children." This lacks credibility in London, let alone in developing countries, where children know little about the dangers of smoking but cannot miss BAT's aggressive advertising.'

I'm getting absolutely tired of this 'the people are too thick' line spouted by all those apparently intelligent men and women who write in publications like these. It's sickening and it's this kind of technocratic assumption of mental superiority that's killing the rest of us far more than a bit of tobacco smoke!

[henry curteis]

As many have said, Ken Clarke would make a great party leader if only he were a conservative.

I think however that potential leaders should reply to a letter such as Roger Helmer's. Clarke's silence speaks volumes. Let's hope he goes up in a puff of smoke on Tuesday - a great man with no principles - what a waste.

[Christian S.]

Totally bogus statement Henry! Ken has lost to consecutive leadership elctions just because of his stong convictions on the european currency and.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

"'[Ken Clarke] defends his company's activities with lines tobacco manufacturers have used for 50 years: "BAT did not want to sell their products to children and did not aim their products at children." This lacks credibility in London, let alone in developing countries, where children know little about the dangers of smoking but cannot miss BAT's aggressive advertising.'

I'm getting absolutely tired of this 'the people are too thick' line spouted by all those apparently intelligent men and women who write in publications like these. It's sickening and it's this kind of technocratic assumption of mental superiority that's killing the rest of us far more than a bit of tobacco smoke!"

Well said Mark. All this hysterical gnashing and wailing about Ken forcing fags into the mouths of poor Vietnamese children is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

As far as I'm aware (and please correct me if I'm mistaken) smoking tobacco (unlike marijuana) isn't actually illegal anywhere in the world so I don't see why Ken should be demonised for being involved in the trade of a legal product that people have a choice over whether to purchase or not.

I appreciate that there is a moral concern about promoting a product that potentially has serious health implications but note that such concerns are not serious enough for any government to actually ban the sale of tobacco (unlike marijuana, which is just as illegal in the UK today as it was twenty years ago) and smokers clearly aren't concerned enough to stop lighting up either.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

Sorry about the triple post - I don't know why that's happened! Any chance of getting the last two copies of it deleted Editor?

[Ronald Collinson]

That keeps happening to me, too.

There seems to be some problem with TypePad.

[AnotherNick]

I don't like the tactics attributed to BAT & I don't like a senior Conservative being linked with them. But to be fair there is a difference between me not liking it and it making Ken unsuitable to be leader.

I would have liked to have heard all the contender's views on the proposals to ban smoking in public places. I think whether you agree with me and support the ban or if you take the libertarian point of view, it is a current topic of debate and the candidates' views would be of interest.

[Beats By Dre Solo HD]

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