A PUB garden smoking ban would not be backed by a majority of Brits, a fresh poll has revealed.
The survey of 2,020 adults by Yonder found that 53 per cent believed punters should be allowed to spark up outside boozers.
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It narrowly edges the 47 per cent opposed to the habit when excluding “don’t knows”.
Simon Clark, director of the pro-smoking group Forest that commissioned the poll, said Labour has “no mandate” to impose the draconian curbs.
He fumed: “It wasn’t in the Labour Party manifesto and the public only found out about it after the plan was leaked to a national newspaper.
“Banning smoking in beer gardens would be hugely damaging to Britain’s pubs, many of which are struggling already with 50 pubs closing every month in England and Wales in the first half of this year.”
READ MORE ON THE SMOKING BAN
The Sun revealed in August the plan to ban fags in a raft of outdoor areas including pub gardens.
Since then hospitality bosses have voiced existential fears to the sector, while even some Labour MPs have rebelled.
New MP Dr Becca Cooper – a qualified medic – is one of Sir Keir Starmer’s MPs to come out against the proposed ban.
Labour MPs Mary Glindon and Grahame Morris are also opposed, as well as former shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
