The release of ASH’s March 2011 financial statement shows us just how much the stop-smoking charity is presently worth to England.  Back-of-fag packet calculations reveal that the £15,365 raised in donations and legacies from around 40 million non-smokers – the large chuck of England ASH claims to represent – works out at less than 0.04p per non-smoker.  Put another way: it takes 25 non-smokers to raise a single penny for this worthy cause.

ASH continues to act as Secretariat for the APPG [All Party Parliamentary Group] on Smoking and Health.

Party like 2011: ASH director Debbie Arnott with Health minister Anne Milton

And yet, ASH enjoys almost unlimited access to the Corridors of Power. Policies ‘advocated’ by ASH find their way into law, and affect us all.   For example, last March’s Treasury decision to ramp up the tax on ‘economy’ cigarettes by disproportionately more than on ‘luxury’ brands was made by George Osborne on the recommendation of ASH. Likewise, he chose to continue the last regime’s 2% above-inflation tax escalator across all manufactured brands – another of ASH’s recommendations, although somewhat watered down from the 5% originally demanded.

The constructive relationship ASH enjoys with HM Treasury and HmRC has been unaffected by the change in government.

ASH has played key roles in the display ban, the vending machine ban, the RIP coalition and – lest we forget – in the reason, dear reader, that we find ourselves sitting in front of our monitors this festive season, instead of partying à la 2006. If there is consolation to be had, it is in the knowledge that, up and down the country, decent, law-abiding landlords will be locking their pub doors early, dusting off the ashtrays, and giving their decent, law-abiding customers the service they really want.

ASH may have convinced the gullible at Westminster that they have the country’s mandate,  but their paltry collection tin and the readiness of publicans to break an unpopular law at this time of Misrule strongly suggests otherwise. Pop into your local sometime over the next few days, and you might be pleasantly surprised!

MERRY CHRISTMAS