- Communities Secretary Angela Rayner has described her nicotine addiction as a “lifetime of purgatory”, revealing she would be devastated if her children started vaping.
- Ms Rayner said that she began smoking as a teenager and switched to e-cigarettes to quit cigarettes, but despises her ongoing dependence on nicotine.
- Her comments come as the government unveils plans to grant councils greater powers to block new vape stores and betting shops to revitalise high streets.
- Under the proposed regulations, new vape shops will require planning permission from next year, and legal definitions will be tightened to stop retailers bypassing rules.
- The broader high street strategy aims to curb rogue operators, tackle garish shop fronts, and remove restrictions that limit town halls from refusing gambling licences.
IN FULL
