British politician Rupert Lowe wants to allow smoking in pubs again as leader of Restore Britain.

In the early 2000s, a significant change was made in the pub scene in Scotland and England - the smoking ban was introduced. This meant that smoking was no longer allowed inside pubs, and it sparked mixed reactions among the public. But now, nearly two decades later, it seems that the majority of the British population supports this public health measure.

According to a poll conducted in 2024, a whopping 88% of the British public are in favor of the smoking ban, and surprisingly, this includes 70% of smokers themselves. However, for those who still long for the smell of smoke-saturated stool cushions and ash-stained carpets, there may be a glimmer of hope. The hard-right Restore Britain party, led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, has promised to bring back indoor smoking in pubs if they win the election.

Not only that, but they also want to allow landlords to serve low-alcohol drinks to under-18s at the bar. These policies were announced in a video posted on the party's social media pages, presented by Matt Slocombe, a cider maker and policy advisor for Restore. He stated that the party believes it should be up to the landlord to decide whether or not they want to have a well-ventilated smoking room in their pub.

He also emphasized that those who do not wish to be around smoke can simply avoid the designated smoking area. Slocombe also believes that this would be a great incentive and potential lifeblood for pubs, which have been struggling in recent years. In addition to allowing smoking rooms, Restore also plans to create "supervised pubs" where 16 and 17-year-olds can be served low-strength drinks.

They also want to reduce the tax burden on local pubs, such as business rates. Interestingly, this video was posted just an hour after the newly elected Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, announced that there would be a 20% cut in business rates for hospitality businesses, including pubs, starting in April next year. This move was met with mixed reactions, as many were also focused on the controversial statements made by Rupert Lowe earlier in the month.

During an appearance on Joe Rogan's popular podcast, Lowe caused outrage when he referred to the 1996 Dunblane massacre, where 16 children and their teacher were killed, as "one murder." He also expressed his frustration with the gun ban that followed, as it meant that his father had to give up his pistols that he used to shoot with at Oxford University. This statement was met with strong backlash, particularly from Jack Crozier, whose sister Emma was killed in the shooting. He stated that while Lowe's father may have had his pistols taken away, his father had his daughter taken away.

It was a painful reminder that the consequences of the Dunblane tragedy were far greater than just one murder.