He smoked up to 10 cigars a day and reportedly once compared the enjoyment of fragrant rolled tobacco to falling in love.
Winston Churchill’s enjoyment of an excellent Havana is the stuff of legend and he was repeatedly photographed with a grip on his bellicose jaw. He even has a line named after him.
But a senior minister suggested the legendary wartime leader and Conservative icon would have backed Rishi Sunak’s plan to ban smoking.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins used Churchill to hit back at party critics over the plan to set a sliding age limit for smoking, amid claims the legislation is “unconservative”.
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have led a fight against the law, which returns to the House of Commons this week, with Johnson saying it is “madness” and asking at a Canadian conference why “Winston Churchill’s party wants to ban cigarettes.”
But today, in an article published in the Telegraph, the Health Secretary said: ‘Is this policy conservative, some have asked? I deeply believe that it is. In doing so, I am inspired by the words of a brilliant former Daily Telegraph correspondent, who became our greatest Prime Minister.
‘I refer, of course, to Winston Churchill, who once wrote of his relief at moving from the ‘rough sea of Cause and Theory to the firm ground of Result and Fact.’
He added: ‘One of the foundations of the Conservative Party is that we make difficult decisions to protect future generations. This applies to the burden of debt payments and the growth of the economy. This should also apply to addiction.”
Winston Churchill’s enjoyment of an excellent Havana is the stuff of legend and he was repeatedly photographed with a grip on his bellicose jaw. He even has a line named after him.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins used Churchill to hit back at party critics over the plan to set a sliding age limit for smoking, amid claims the legislation is “unconservative”.
The ban enjoys wide public support and is expected to become law with the help of the opposition, despite suggestions that almost 100 Conservative MPs will refuse to back it.
The rebellion is due to a plan to increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco each year and thus progressively eliminate smoking.
In practice, it would mean that anyone currently 15 years old or younger will never be able to buy cigarettes.
The Mail on Sunday understands its former prime minister Liz Truss will speak against the plans in this week’s Commons debate.
MPs are being given a free vote on the issue, meaning there can be no formal revolt against the Government despite reports yesterday saying at least three cabinet ministers will vote against the plan.
And a senior Conservative called the decision not to impose a three-line whip a “sign of Rishi’s weakness, not strength”.
Ms Truss has branded Mr Sunak’s attempt to effectively ban young people from smoking “deeply anti-Tory”.
On Wednesday night, Johnson joined the Tories in anger at Sunak’s proposals and criticized policies being carried out “in the name of Conservatism”.
“We are, by and large, for liberty and it is that single Anglo-Saxon idea of liberty that I think unites conservatives, or should unite conservatives,” he said.
“And when I look at some of the things that we’re doing now, or that are being done in the name of conservatism, I think they’re absolutely crazy.”
Johnson added: “When Winston Churchill’s party wants to ban cigars, donnez-moi un break as they say in Quebec, it’s crazy.”