Doncaster MP Nick Fletcher says "nanny state does not raise warriors" in smoking ban debate

The Don Valley MP rebelled against the PM over the vote.

Transcript

00:00 Nanny states do not raise warriors, they create weak individuals. And as the man

00:07 said, weak individuals create tough times. I want a society to help raise

00:13 warriors as I believe going forward we are going to need as many as we can find,

00:18 smokers or not. Just finally, is it Christian to support or not support this

00:25 bill? I am sure there are arguments on both sides but we start each day in this

00:33 place saying the Lord's Prayer. We ask our Lord, lead me not into temptation. We do

00:40 not ask him to take temptation away. No, I think our Lord wants us to be

00:46 warriors too, to be able to withstand the many temptations this world offers. I

00:52 also think he wants us to make decisions, not sit on the fence. I therefore can't

00:59 abstain. I believe that would be the easy option. I will therefore vote in against

01:05 this bill, not because I want to, not because I want new people to smoke, I

01:09 don't, but I want them to be warriors who can say no to the many temptations they

01:15 may face.