ONE of the more significant achievements of Tony Blair’s government was the ban on smoking in public places. It made Britain a healthier, better place.

And this week’s overwhelming vote by MPs in favour of banning smoking in cars will be remembered as an important addition to that historic legislation.

MPs voted by 376 to 107 in favour of empowering the Government to make it a criminal offence for drivers to smoke in privately-owned vehicles when children are present.

The Government is not compelled to bring in the law, but the view of Parliament has been made so clear that there is no reason for ministers to drag their heels. The sooner we have the law, the sooner we will see a reduction in the 30,000 British children a year who are taken to their GPs with smoking-related illnesses.

Smokers’ lobby group Forest says there is “a line the state shouldn’t cross when it comes to dictating how people should behave in private places”.

That is the case when smokers are alone, but it is right for the Government to protect others whose health is at risk from their habit.

This week’s vote – and the legislation when it comes – represent a personal triumph for Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham, who has vigorously led the campaign for a smoking ban in cars.

Mr Cunningham has fought for three years to bring about this leap forward in child health and we congratulate him.