What does the pledge mean? 

The Labour party’s 2024 manifesto promised to “ensure the next generation can never legally buy cigarettes”.

The government plans to achieve this by making it illegal to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to anyone in the UK born after 1 January 2009.

This would impose an effective ban on smoking for those in that age group.

It is a major reform proposed in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which if passed will also grant the government powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces, with children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals being considered, subject to consultation. It will also ban vape advertising and sponsorship, and introduce the power to restrict vape flavours and packaging.

Full Fact understands that more details on how the pledge will be delivered will be announced in due course.

Although Labour committed to delivering this in its manifesto, a similar plan was first proposed under the previous Conservative government in October 2023.

Banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 was also a key aim in the previous Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which was ultimately not passed before Parliament was dissolved in May ahead of the general election.

What progress has been made?

The new Tobacco and Vapes Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 5 November 2024.

It passed its second reading on 26 November. A date is yet to be announced for its committee stage.

It will need to pass through further stages in the House of Commons and the House of Lords before it receives Royal Assent and becomes law.