Vested interests will always use regulation to protect that interest

From Dick Puddlecote a shocking example of a private business using regulatory pressure to protect its private interests:

The website for Vype e-cigarettes www.govype.com, was seen on 13 March 2017. The home page of the website featured a carousel with four slides. Text on the first slide stated "VYPE PURPLE ePEN STARTER KIT +1 PACK OF PREMIUM CARTRIDGES. FOR £19.98*". Smaller text below stated "*ENDS TUESDAY 28th MARCH 2017. P&P CHARGES WHERE APPLICABLE". The text was next to images of the starter kit, and a link which stated "SHOP NOW>". Text on the fourth slide stated "BUY 5 GET 1 FREE. INCLUDES VYPE PEBBLE CARTRIDGES, ePEN CARTRIDGES & eLIQUID BOTTLES*. SHOP NOW>". On the web page for the Vype Pebble Starter Kit, text stated "The small and mighty Pebble".

This complaint - partly upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority - wasn't from a concerned member of the public or even some shocked anti-smoking campaign group but from Johnson & Johnson, manufacturers of nicorette and other no-tobacco nicotine delivery systems. They're straightforwardly nobbling their competitor with this complaint.

So when we're talking about regulations supposedly protecting health or safety, we should always ask for the independent evidence and should further ask who benefits - which private business - benefits. Johnson & Johnson along with other pharmaceuticals with very profitable nicotine products campaigned very hard to firstly get e-cigs banned, then to get them regulated as medicines and then to hobble their marketing and promotion. Not for reasons of public safety or health but purely and simply to protect their business from competition.

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How many supermarkets can one small town take?

The fine town of Keighley is enjoying - if that's the right word - a new ASDA superstore. This vast new addition to the town's shopping offer is situated just off the town centre (so people no longer have to fight the traffic) and was crammed today with customers - well the car park was very full!

So what's the problem? Well Keighley already has...Morrisons, Sainsbury, Iceland, Aldi, Netto and Co-op. And they all seemed busy today as well! And if this is so where is the new ASDA getting all that business from?

I can tell you - it comes from neighbouring towns without a supermarket or with a smaller store - Bingley, Steeton, Crosshills, Glusburn - and from shoppers taking advantage of the cheap clothes, household goods and other non-food products that adorn ASDA's shelves.

Keighley gets 400 low grade jobs (a lot of them part time) at the expense of businesses and jobs elsewhere in the town and in surrounding communities - perhaps as many as 200 jobs will go. Will we see Keighley Market decline again? And smaller retailers in the town close for lack of footfall?

Another victory for our stupid planning system. Another place compromised by the strong arm tactics of the big supermarkets. And remember - if the choice had been left to local decision-makers there would not be this new blight on Keighley!