A LANDMARK piece of legislation designed to ensure that today's young people will never legally smoke tobacco was broadly welcomed by Cumbrian MPs.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s controversial anti-smoking plans were voted on in the House of Commons on Tuesday, April 16.

The legislation, seen by the prime minister as a key part of his long-term legacy, would make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1 2009, with the aim of creating a “smoke-free” generation.

Mr Sunak’s proposal to ban young people from ever being able to legally smoke tobacco cleared its first Commons hurdle on Tuesday.

MPs voted 383 to 67, majority 316, to give the Tobacco and Vapes Bill a second reading.

Despite passing through the Commons with relative ease, the vote saw a large Conservative rebellion against the prime minister.

Six ministers, including Kemi Badenoch and Steve Baker, voted against the bill, alongside prominent backbench MPs Robert Jenrick and former home secretary, Suella Braverman.

More than 100 Tory MPs also abstained from the vote including John Redwood and former leader, Sir Iain Duncan-Smith.

Workington MP, Mark Jenkinson joined his Cumbrian colleagues, Trudy Harrison and Dr Neil Hudson in voting in favour of the bill whilst Carlisle MP, John Stevenson, performed a positive abstention where he walked through both the aye and no lobbies, cancelling out his vote.

In a post on X, Mr Jenkinson said: “I had my first cigarette when I was 11. Luckily, I was one of those able to quit when I had my own children.

“But I don’t want my children to smoke.

“I’ve fought nanny-statism wherever it’s appeared, but this plan doesn’t remove choice from adults who’ve decided to start smoking.

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“I support the work we are doing to stop children vaping and smoking.

“It's important to remember we need use all possible tools to help adult smokers quit.”

Critics of the plans have said that it remains a person’s personal freedom to smoke, and that the government should not be dictating if adults should be able to smoke.