- 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
Angela Rayner says she would be ‘devastated’ if her children vaped as she admits she can’t quit
