The clock is ticking.

There has been a massive response to F2C’s Call to Arms where Phil Johnson, chairman of Freedom2Choose, and a delegation of F2C’ers will put their case about the dire consequences of the ill thought out smoking ban here in the UK. Below you will see a list* of Working Men's Clubs and Shisha Bar owners who have returned the forms requesting Freedom2Choose represent their interests at the HoC reception but you will notice however that the North of England is poorly represented so it is vital that more of you good people download a copy of the letter and form and contact your nearest pub, club or bingo hall, not to mention any shisha bars you may know of, and get them to send the completed form to Phil asap. His contact details are on the letter.

Dutch Courage trumps ASH (Holland).

When it comes to spending on health and healthcare budgets a lot of governments around the western world have amassed great financial deficits, and as our readers know the UK government is no slouch when it comes to pissing the taxpayers money against the wall, the Dutch are no different.

Where they are different however is when it comes to doing something about it and the Dutch have decided to take a big stick to the healthcare budget and give it a great big whack!

The cabinet on Friday agreed with proposals to cut a further €1bn from spending on health services from next year.

The plans, which leaked out earlier this week, include scrapping help to people who want to stop smoking and improve their diet. (TBY’s emphasis)

And you can bet a pound to a pack of cigarettes the Dutch anti smoking SS don’t like it, not one little bit:

Anti smoking organisations have already urged the government to reconsider its decision to remove help for people who want to stop smoking, saying it will be more expensive in the long run.

It’ll be more expensive in the long run? Says who?? How much does the Dutch smoker contribute in tobacco taxes towards healthcare, one wonders? If the UK tobacco taxes are anything to go by, £10bn raised and £2.7bn spent on so called "smoking related diseases", the former downgraded and the latter upgraded by Tobacco Control and their cohorts. Anyway you can read more on this here and an excellent piece by Belinda here.

*West End WMC, Braunstone Avenue, Leicester. LE3 1LD -Liz Kendall (Lab)
Thornton WMC, 231, Main Street, Thornton, Leics. LE67 1AH-Andrew Bridgen (C)
The Aberdale Public House, Shackerdale Road, Leicester. LE2 6HT. Jon Ashworth MP.(Lab)
Nottingham Oddfellows Cub, 89, Humberstone Gate, Leicester. LE1 1WB. Jon Ashworth (Lab)
5-Enderby & District Social Club Ltd, 22-24 Coleridge Drive, Enderby, Leicester. LE19 4QF-Andrew Robathan (C)
Eyres Monsell WMC, LittleJohn Road, Leicester. LE2 9BT-Jon Ashworth (Lab)
New Parks Social Club, Battersbee Rd, Leicester.LE3 9LD-Liz Kendall (Lab)+Liz Kendall (Lab)
Braunstone & District WMC, 2, Braunstone Close, Leicester. LE3 2GE-Liz Kendall (Lab)
Hinckley WMC, Stockwell Head, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 1RE.-David Tredinnick (C)
10-Leicester Railwaymans Club & Institute, Leicester Street, East park Rd, leics. LE5 4FS -Jon Ashworth (Lab)
Broadwaters Inn, 168, Stourbridge Rd, Kidderminster, Worcs. DY10 2UL-Mark Garnier (C)
Newfoundpool WMC, 55 Beatrice Road, Leicester. LE3 9FJ-Liz Kendall (L)
Saffron Lane WMC, 429 Saffron lane, Leicester. LE2 6UJ-Jon Ashworth (L)
(Thurmaston Progressive WMC, 805 Melton Road, Thurmaston, Leicester. LE4 8EC-has responded NO to every option but unfortunately Mr Polkey {club secretary] absolutely hates smoking so his club gets no say!)
15-Stoney Stanton Social Club, Hinckley Road, Stoney Stanton, Leics. LE9 4LJ-Andrew Robathan (C)
Cheylesmore Social Club, Quinton Park, Cheylesmore, Coventry. CV3 5PZ-Jim Cunningham (Lab)
1852 Brewery Co, Station Rd, Wigston , LE18 2DH -Edward Garnier (C)
Marhaba Shisha bar, 171, Evington Rd, leicester. LE2 1QL-Jon Ashworth (Lab)
Monks road WMC, 247, Monks Road, Lincoln. LN2 5JT- Karl McCartney (C)
Unicorn Social Club, Holbrook Lane, Coventry. CV6 4DE-Geoffrey Robinson (Lab)
Wyken WMC, 219, Ansty Road, Wyken, Coventry. CV2 3FL-Bob Ainsworth (Lab)
The Clarendon Public House, 7-9, West Avenue, Leicester. LE2 1TS - Jon Ashworth (Lab)

Keep them coming, you know it makes sense.