The Government has announced a new consultation that will invite submissions on a range of issues related to smoking and vaping.

These include extending the smoking ban to children’s play areas and outside schools. Proposals also include a ban on vaping in cars carrying children, but the ultimate goal is to ban vaping in every ‘public’ place where smoking is already prohibited, notably pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Having been ghosted by Matt Chorley’s producers on Five Live, what happened next was no more than I expected.

Promoted as a discussion about the smoking ban 20 years on, the choice of guests was hilariously one-sided, despite an assurance by the producer that “We're keen to reflect all opinions in the discussion”.

To no-one’s surprise, least of all mine, I won’t be on Five Live with Matt Chorley this afternoon discussing ‘20 years of the smoking ban’.

I’m disappointed because I’ve got a lot to say. Sadly, despite the producer insisting that they are ‘keen to reflect all opinions’, I appear to have been ghosted!

This coming Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the vote by MPs that led to the introduction of the smoking ban in England on July 1 the following year.

I might share some memories of that day later in the week, but on Thursday Five Live presenter Matt Chorley is going to “take a look at 20 years of the ban on smoking in public places”. Unfortunately, if it’s anything like the item he presided over on Times Radio to mark the 50th anniversary of ASH in December 2021, the chances of a balanced discussion are quite small.

Readers will be familiar with one of my favourite hobby horses – how the media reports smoking-related stories.

I’ve been engaged in a running battle with journalists for years, most recently a Daily Mail reporter who requested my response to a series of questions and then ignored every single quote without so much as a by-your-leave. Well, it’s happened again. Almost.

It’s remarkable how many people, journalists especially, seem to have a Peter Mandelson story they’ve kept to themselves for years if not decades.

Mostly it’s allegations of offhand or boorish behaviour. I’ve never met him so I have nothing to add on that score, but I do have a Peter Mandelson story, of sorts.

I’m sorry to hear that novelist and journalist Allan Massie has died.

I only met him once, in 2018, but it was a big occasion (for me if not for him!) because he was our special guest at a private dinner at the National Museum of Scotland.

Good luck to Reem Ibrahim who starts work today at the Reason Foundation in Washington DC.

Her move to America is well timed because there has been something of a British invasion in recent years.