Downing Street has refused to confirm that David Cameron is personally in favour of plain packaging for cigarettes, as it emerged that up to 100 MPs could revolt against government moves to impose the policy.
Labour accused the party of being hopelessly split on the issue, as the prime minister came under pressure from rightwingers to drop the measure on grounds it represented too much interference by the state.
The government’s decision to hold a free vote on whether to bring in plain packaging was oddly handled from the start, as the announcement was made during an evening Commons debate by the health minister, Jane Ellison, rather than by Cameron himself.
It is understood some senior Conservatives were unaware the decision to proceed with the vote had been made, which could potentially inflame the scale of the rebellion.
It had been repeatedly put off over the last couple of years by Cameron, the government arguing that it needed more evidence about whether plain packaging was helping to reduce smoking in Australia.
The policy is likely to gain approval in the Commons with a majority of Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs in favour, despite the probable revolt by some backbenchers.
By contrast, Ukip’s leader, Nigel Farage, argued that plain packaging for cigarettes represented an “appalling intrusion into consumer choice and the operation of the free market”.
Asked about Cameron’s view, his official spokesman repeatedly avoided saying the prime minister was personally in favour of the policy. “The government thinks is it the right thing to hold this vote, and that it is a free vote in the house. But clearly it is this government that has ensured it is tabled. The government has enabled this to happen, clearly in the light of situation where it was previously largely supported, so I think you can deduce something from that.”
In a subtle distinction, Downing Street suggested the government supported the policy of holding a vote on plain packaging, rather than the policy of introducing such packaging. The spokesman also would not confirm whether Cameron would vote in the Commons, saying it would depend on his schedule.
Luciana Berger, the shadow public health minister, said the coalition’s handling of the issue had been a shambles.
She said: “Almost a year ago parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of standardised packaging with just 24 MPs voting against it, yet David Cameron has still not been able to deliver, unable to command the support of his own party.
“Standardised packaging of tobacco is backed by the conclusions of the government’s own reviews, and has the support of public health experts, the public and parliament alike. Yet the government has taken almost a year to make this next step and in that time 200,000 children would have taken up smoking.
David Cameron must get a grip and introduce this vital measure as soon as possible.”