ATTEMPTS in Britain to clamp down on smoking in the early 1970s were blocked by the then prime minister, Edward Heath, according to newly released papers. But the right-wing social services secretary, Keith Joseph, emerges as a champion of the nation’s health.
In 1970, Peter Gregson, Heath’s private secretary wrote a note to the prime minister: “You should have early warning of the proposal by Sir K[eith] Joseph for a bill on cigarette smoking.” The proposed law would have forced companies to put health warnings on adverts and given local authorities the power “to ban smoking in public places”. That is a power they still don’t…
