David Cameron came under pressure on Wednesday to clarify his election strategist’s links to the tobacco industry as Labour questioned why the government had dropped plans for plain cigarette packaging.
The prime minister said the decision to abandon the plans was made by him and the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, alone, repeating his line that he had not been “lobbied” by Lynton Crosby over the issue.
Mr Crosby, a renowned election strategist, also runs a company called Crosby Textor, which – it has gradually transpired – has clients in tobacco, alcohol, oil, airports and property development.
The Labour party went on the offensive over potential conflicts of interest during prime minister’s questions, with leader Ed Miliband dubbing Mr Cameron the “prime minister for Benson and Hedge funds”. Mr Crosby advises Philip Morris, the manufacturer of Marlboro cigarettes, in the UK.
“The whole country will have heard those same weasel words that you are sticking to. He can’t deny that he had a conversation with Lynton Crosby about this issue,” said Mr Miliband. “Even by the standards of this prime minister, this is a disgraceful episode.”
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