By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent
David Cameron is set to be accused of a major U-turn over the introduction of plain packaging of cigarettes.
The Government is poised to announce it is pressing ahead with the measure aimed at making smoking less attractive to youngsters.
Mr Cameron's decision to shelve the measure last July caused an outcry after it emerged his election strategist Lynton Crosby, now employed full time by the Conservatives, is a partner of Crosby Textor, which worked with Philip Morris Ltd as it lobbied the UK government against plain packaging.
That prompted the accusation from Ed Miliband in the Commons: "He is the Prime Minister for Benson and Hedge funds, and he knows it.
Australia already uses plain packets which just show health warnings "Can he not see that there is a devastating conflict of interest between having a key adviser raking it in from big tobacco and then advising him not to go ahead with plain packaging?"
Campaigners for plain packaging feared a pause on consultation in July had effectively ruled out any prospect of its introduction until after the next election, while lobbyists for the tobacco industry were confident of having defeated the proposal.
Now Earl Howe, the health minister, is to introduce an amendment to the Children and Families Bill in the House of Lords, possibly as early as next week, to give the Government enabling powers to introduce plain packaging.
At the same time the Government will announce another review of what has happened in Australia to report back next March. Its findings are expected to strongly back the case for plain packaging.
One of the most recent studies from the country, the first in the world to ban branded cigarettes cartons, found that those using cigarettes sold in standardised plain brown cartons were 81% more likely to consider quitting.
A Government source told The Times: "This will nail Labour's ridiculous smears. Now the pressure will be on Labour to get behind this amendment to enable the introduction of standardised packaging."
The PM was accused of pandering to his election strategist Lynton Crosby Luciana Berger MP, Labour's shadow public health minister, said: "We need immediate legislation for standard cigarette packaging, not another review. The Government needs to stand up to the tobacco industry's vested interests.
"The evidence to support standardised packaging is clear. The consensus is overwhelming. We don't need any further delay while 570 children are lighting up for the first time every day."
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