Tory MPs could rebel on Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban — unless cigars are exempt

A DOZEN Tory MPs could rebel on the PM’s landmark smoking ban — unless cigars are exempt.

Rishi Sunak plans to phase it out by raising the legal age to buy tobacco by one year every year from 2027.

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It means anyone born after January 1, 2009 — aged 14 now — will never be legally allowed to smoke.

But a group of senior MPs, including former ministers, have urged the Department of Health to protect the £800million UK cigar import — which raised £141million in tax last year

There have also been concerns raised about outlawing shisha pipes because of the risk of wiping out Middle Eastern restaurants.

A DoH source said: “The number of MPs raising concerns privately is much higher than those criticising the policy in public.”

The Government is consulting on the plans, with the listening exercise due to close early next month.

But Simon Clark, boss of smokers group Forest, warned against a “two tier” system — arguing the entire policy should be ditched so people can choose to smoke, or not.