Tory rebellion against Sunak smoking ban rekindles leadership talk

In his speech to the Tory faithful at the Conservative party conference in Manchester in October, Rishi Sunak declared that he wanted to ban smoking for future generations.

But on Tuesday Conservative MPs lined up in the Commons chamber to warn that the proposal was unenforceable, that it would drive illegal tobacco sales and that it was a slippery slope that could lead to bans on fast food or alcohol.

But a decision to oppose the ban by Kemi Badenoch, the business secretary who is often touted as a potential leadership challenger to Sunak, will have caused concern in Downing Street.

By declaring she is against the ban, Badenoch – who, according to a survey by the same website this week, is by far and away the most popular cabinet minister among members – gives the Conservative grassroots another reason to vote for her in the event of a leadership contest.

Sunak’s team will be keeping an eye on all this with trepidation as the local elections approach, amid reports that his critics are preparing to launch a leadership challenge.

Many Conservative MPs think the idea of changing leaders again is fanciful – but if 53 of them are dissatisfied enough with his leadership to submit a letter of no confidence, it will trigger a vote in the Tory parliamentary party.