Rishi Sunak failed to turn up to vote for a ban on young people ever being able to buy cigarettes, despite the former prime minister having introduced the idea in the first place.

Rishi Sunak failed to vote for a ban on young people ever being able to buy cigarettes - even though it was his idea in the first place. The former prime minister was nowhere to be seen in the Commons on Tuesday night when MPs passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at second reading by 415 votes to 47.

Kemi Badenoch will vote against the smoking ban championed by Rishi Sunak. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which effectively bans young people from ever being able to smoke legally, was seen as a lasting achievement of Rishi Sunak’s premiership after it was picked up by Labour following the party’s landslide victory in July.

MPs have backed plans to make it illegal for anyone currently aged 15 or younger to ever buy cigarettes in the UK. The idea was originally proposed by Rishi Sunak's Conservative government but was taken forward by Labour after previous legislation ran out of time to pass before July's general election.