The Express understands that Downing Street is looking to bring its flagship anti-smoking legislation before Parliament next week, in a rush to disprove allegations that the Government isn’t working hard enough.
Mr Sunak hopes to pass the legislation, which will stop anyone born after 2008 from ever legally being allowed to buy tobacco, as a sign he is enacting change before the general election.
However amid swirling concerns about his leadership, the crunch vote will only serve to underline the Tory party’s deep-rooted splits over policy and ideology.
In December, the Express revealed that up to 50 Conservative MPs are planning to vote down the seminal Sunak legislation, meaning the Government will be relying on the votes of Labour MPs.
Sir John Hayes, a leading rebel, warned that the smoking ban Bill is “evidently unworkable, impractical and deeply unconservative”.
It is now understood that the number of anti-ban rebels has since increased to as many as 70 Tory MPs.
Amid growing concerns about Mr Sunak’s leadership, Tory MP Greg Smith has now said he is minded to vote against the policy, “as are many of my colleagues”.
He said: “I believe in freedom and did not get into politics to ban things.
“We must double down on true conservative policies before the election. There is very little enthusiasm for Labour out there and to ensure Conservative voters don’t just stay at home we most focus on their actual priorities.”
Adam Afriyie MP warned that the policy “breaches the principle of adulthood, whereby all adults enjoy equal treatment under the law”.
He added: “I just feel this outright generational ban is too blunt as a policy instrument and politically just isn’t a priority for voters on the doorstep.
“Above all, I think it undermines the UK’s world-leading approach to smoking-cessation which has seen smoking rates fall from above 40% to around 12% over the last 40 years.
“Evidence from around the world tells us that these kinds of bans don’t work and the policy might make more sense if it could only be activated by a future Government if smoking rates had not fallen sufficiently by, say, 2030.”
A former No. 10 special adviser warned that bringing the vote before the Commons next week will only exacerbate Mr Sunak’s recent leadership troubles, and warned that MPs will increasingly be feeling as though “they are on no man’s land, just waiting for an election to be called”.
The source added: “They will desperately want conservative policies they can sell on the doorstop on immigration, law and order and the cost of living.
“This policy doesn’t hit any of those marks and Rishi may just want to kick this into the long grass and avoid this extra fight.”
Mr Sunak announced the impending smoking ban at the Tory party conference in Manchester, basing it on a landmark policy from New Zealand’s recent socialist government under Jacinda Ardern.
Since Ms Ardern left office, New Zealand’s new centre-right government has already junked her policy, leaving Mr Sunak a global outlier.
