The uniparty strikes again. Just as Labor seeks to press ahead with Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban, new data shows that a tobacco black market is ballooning.
Credit: Guido Fawkes
According to data from research company Circana, spending on illegal tobacco in 2023/24 was £5.7 billion — up from £4.2 billion the previous year and £3.5 billion in 2020. As Guido Fawkes notes, that £5.7 billion figure is roughly the equivalent to a quarter of the police budget. If Starmer really wants to be tough on crime, maybe he should reconsider the ban?
Join the discussion
Join like minded readers that support our journalism by becoming a paid subscriber
To join the discussion in the comments, become a paid subscriber.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism, read unlimited articles and enjoy other subscriber-only benefits.
Subscribe