British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that they will enact a law to protect future generations from the harms of smoking and that they plan to raise the age of cigarette purchase every year.
Sunak made statements on many issues on the country's agenda at the closing of the annual conference of the Conservative Party, of which he is the leader.
In his speech, Prime Minister Sunak noted that the law on banning the sale of cigarettes to young people will be put to a vote in the British parliament and emphasized that the age for buying cigarettes will be raised by one year every year, so that a younger generation can grow up "without cigarettes".
"This law means that a child who is 14 years old today will never be legally sold cigarettes, they and their generation can grow up without cigarettes," Sunak said.
Underlining that the vote to be held in the British parliament on this issue will be a "free vote", Sunak added that he does not believe it would be fair to take away the right to smoke from someone who already smokes.
Sunak also made statements on the use of electronic cigarettes, saying, "We will also introduce measures to restrict our children's access to electronic cigarettes by looking at flavors, packaging displays and disposable electronic cigarettes. We need to prioritize the next generation and that is what I will do."
PROMISE TO INTERVENE IN MIGRANT BOATS
"We are by no means where we want to be, but don't let anyone tell you that we are not making progress," Sunak said in his speech, referring to "curbing irregular migration" as one of his party's key promises.
"I will do whatever it takes to stop the migrant boats," Sunak said, summarizing his government's efforts to quickly detain and deport illegal migrants.
HIGH-SPEED TRAIN LINE CANCELED
Sunak announced that HS2, the high-speed train project that has been on the agenda of the country's public opinion in recent days, has canceled the northern line that will reach Manchester.
"Instead of the canceled part, we will invest all the money we save, which is 36 billion pounds, in different transportation projects in the north, Midlands and other parts of the country," Sunak said, adding that the government will complete the part of the project connecting Birmingham and Euston.
Sunak also added that tax cuts were not on the agenda and that "reducing inflation is the biggest tax cut of all".
The HS2 high-speed rail project was the country's largest existing infrastructure investment. It was intended to connect London and the West Midlands, running as far as Birmingham and then north to Crewe, Manchester and Leeds.
