Simon Clark

Me too but I’m not sure it’s working! independent.ie/opinion/commen…

“We’re in the no fun era. Smoking bans are part of that.”taking-liberties.uk/home/2026/4/9/…

😎

Scottish government’s Glen Sannox ferry, built and owned by the state, began serving the busy Troon-Isle of Arran route in January 2025.  It was seven years late and four times over budget.  It is now out of action with engine problems. It only returned to service last week following previous repairs to its exhaust system. It also needs new propellers as part of £3.2m repair costs, along with its equally troubled sister ship Glen Rosa.

Tuesday tipple.

‘We’re in the no fun era’ — Joe Jackson on smoking bans and abstinence thetimes.com/article/02869f…

For medicinal purposes only ….

Simon Clark, director of the smokers' rights group Forest, campaigned against the [smoking] ban 20 years ago. He says that while most smokers have adapted to the ban, "the war on smoking has gone far enough". bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Discussing this on @BBCRadioScot from 9.45. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Nigel Farage: Reform will repeal the generational smoking ban telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/2…

On a train heading north from Waverley. A guy gets on wearing an orange jacket, cobalt blue troosers and green socks. Christ, I thought, this auld fella is dressed as Michael Portillo. Auld fella turns around. It is Michael Portillo.

@TheSimonEvans Haha. I will!

@simonclark_ Thank you! 🙏🏽 And do let me know whenever I can contribute again to one of your excellent long lunches!

‘Vape shops are to real shops what vaping is to smoking,’ writes @TheSimonEvans. Ouch. spiked-online.com/2026/03/12/the…

@TheSimonEvans All good, thanks. Your articles are always thought-provoking and entertaining - I enjoy reading them!

@simonclark_ Hahaha! Nice to be alerted to my column being up by you this week, Simon! Hope you’re well.

Agreed. “Apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?”

@David__Osland Nye Bevan definitely has a better claim to appear on a fiver than a squirrel.

‘Shortly after I joined Forest, we marked the event by sending a crack team of supporters to Paris. The aim was to escape the annual nagathon by spending the day in what was then considered the European capital of smoking.’ taking-liberties.uk/home/2024/3/13…

My annual reminder that No Smoking Day ain’t what it used to be … ⬇️