And odd that a former (Scottish) Secretary of State (a heavy smoker until recently) should keep his powder dry when complete bans were proposed for Northern Ireland and Scotland, but create chaos in the Cabinet when the same was proposed for England and Wales.

I wonder how the ban will go down in Ballymena. The DUP is all in favour of a ban, but one of the biggest employers in Ballymena is the tobacco manufacturer Gallaher's - in the heart of the DUP leader's constituency and strongly opposed to the ban. How will he explain all those lost jobs?

And aren't the DUP the least bit paranoid that they are party to an all-Ireland policy on smoking - one that doesn't exist for the UK! ;o)

And contrary to the BBC's repeated reporting that a ban was "agreed in Northern Ireland", it certainly wasn't - it was imposed. Remember Direct Rule? You only thought you were consulted.