Tobacco and Vapes Bill: Second Reading

Parliament voted by 415 to 47 to give the Tobacco and Vapes Bill its second reading on 26 November 2024, approving the core principle of the legislation. A second reading is the first substantive parliamentary vote on a bill, and passing it means the House of Commons agreed that the bill should proceed to detailed scrutiny in committee. The margin was decisive, with nearly nine votes in favour for every one against.

The bill's central measure is a so-called "age escalator" for tobacco sales. Under it, the minimum legal age for purchasing cigarettes would rise by one year, every year, so that anyone aged 15 or under on the date of the vote would never legally be able to buy tobacco. In practical terms, this creates a smokefree generation over time without immediately banning tobacco outright for existing adult smokers. The bill also introduces stricter regulation of vapes, targeting their marketing to children through flavourings, packaging and branding designed to appeal to young people.

The Conservative Party was split, with 23 MPs voting in favour, 32 against, and 61 absent. Labour and its Co-operative Party allies were unanimously in favour. The Liberal Democrats allowed a free vote, producing 38 ayes and 7 noes. Reform UK's six present MPs all voted against. The bill carries notable political history, having originated under the previous Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak, which lends it a cross-party character even as some Conservatives objected to elements they argued went beyond the original proposal.