UK MPs are being encouraged to cease taking complimentary tickets to sporting and cultural events from tobacco, alcohol, and junk food companies, as their goods cause so much illness and death.
More than 100 health organisations are pushing British MPs to refuse offers of gifts and hospitality from “unhealthy products industries” because they employ a variety of deceptive strategies to conceal the harm they cause in order to safeguard their sales.
The coalition of physicians’ associations, health charities, and children’s organisations has challenged Keir Starmer to follow through on his vow to restore integrity to public life by prohibiting such corporations from lobbying MPs with gifts that could expose them to conflicts of interest.
The prime minister announced plans to limit smoking in public spaces, including pubs, restaurants, and footpaths, to address the UK’s rising illness rate and support the NHS.
Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), stated: “Alcohol, tobacco, and poor eating are the three leading causes of death in our country, with alcohol alone taking 10,000 lives in 2022 – the worst on record.
“MPs are expected to make decisions based on the best interests of their constituents, but we know that lobbying tactics such as receiving gifts and benefits from these industries can lead to a conflict of interest and impartiality being compromised.”
The AHA, the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), and Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) have released a new joint report outlining the “killer tactics” used by the three industries to gain political clout and thwart efforts to improve public health by cracking down on smoking, drinking, and poor diet.
They claim that tactics “to cultivate allies” include downplaying the harm their products cause, using legal threats to delay policies aimed at reducing that damage, such as plain cigarette packaging and minimum unit pricing of alcohol, distorting scientific evidence, using front groups to advance their arguments, and providing MPs with gifts, benefits, and hospitality.
“While in many cases MPs may perceive there to be little harm in accepting a ticket for a sporting event or passing on a concert ticket to a staff member, there is no such thing as a free lunch,” according to the paper.
“Businesses spend money because they feel it will benefit their financial interests. [However], it can create the appearance of a conflict of interest when MPs amend and vote on legislation that affects these corporations.” To promote transparency, MPs must declare any gifts worth more than £300.
Report Supported by Over 100 UK Health Organizations, Including Major Charities and Public Health Experts
The report’s 100-plus sponsors include the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, health charities such as Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, and public health experts such as the Faculty of Public Health.
Thérèse Coffey, then a Conservative MP, revealed in the members’ register of interests in August 2022 that she had taken a £922.80 ticket and hospitality from the pub and beer business Greene King for Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Coffey, a long-time opponent of “nanny state” measures, was appointed health secretary in Liz Truss’ short-lived cabinet three weeks later, and she resisted several plans to promote public health.
Earlier this year, Giles Watling, the Tory MP for Clacton, disclosed hospitality worth £351.02 from Japanese Tobacco International. In May, he proposed revisions to the tobacco and vapes bill that would limit the proposed prohibition on cigarette purchases to people under the age of 21, rather than everyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
In a rare political intervention, the Budweiser Brewing Group paid £9,000 to sponsor a fundraising event for Labour general election candidates, including four who won on July 4th – Sarah Hall, Jo Platt, Elsie Blundell, and Kirith Entwistle.
Arden Strategies, a lobbying firm founded by former Labour minister Jim Murphy, planned and funded the event, which was attended by Lucy Powell, the House of Commons leader, who is now responsible for MPs’ conduct standards. Powell declined to comment on her presence at the Budweiser-sponsored event or have an opinion on the health groups’ ideas.
Diageo, which makes products including Johnnie Walker, has arranged dinners for MPs, including whisky tastings, while Heineken paid for tickets and hospitality for Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine and now-former Tory MP James Daly to attend a Six Nations rugby match.
KFC has asked Labour MPs and councillors to sample some of its “delicious, healthy” food, including salad boxes, twister wraps, and rice boxes, at one of its Liverpool outlets during the party’s annual conference next month. Those who go will be able to speak with the fast food company’s dietitian about how they are making their products healthier.
Wes Streeting, the health minister, has chastised KFC for employing legal techniques to dispute 45 local councils’ efforts to limit the number of fast food restaurants opening in their region.
Katharine Jenner, the OHA’s director, stated that successive administrations’ inability to reduce the prevalence of unhealthy food and drink in order to address the growing crisis of individuals who are dangerously overweight has contributed to an increase in obesity, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes rates.
The OHA, AHA, and Ash also say that a “gap in regulation” permits MPs to take gifts worth less than £300, such as chocolate and gifts during site visits, and that “unhealthy product industries” can sponsor events in parliament.
According to YouGov polling, vast majorities of people want the government to be free of the influence of the tobacco (78%), alcohol (71%), and food and drink (71%), industries when developing health policy.
Matt Lambert, CEO of the Portman association, an alcohol trade association, believes drink companies should be entitled to meet with MPs.
The Portman Group does not comment on corporate hospitality rules for public representatives, as this is a subject for parliamentary authorities.
However, it is critical for parliamentarians to be able to listen to a variety of opposing viewpoints, and we reject the narrow-minded principle of excluding alcohol producers from discussions where they have much to contribute, such as responsible marketing and encouraging moderate consumption of their products.”
The Food and Beverage Federation declined to respond.
