British lawmakers are taking heat for covertly amending the law to allow smoking at the Group of 20 economic conference to be held next month in London, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
Smoking was banned in British workplaces and enclosed public spaces in 2006, but now the law may have changed — to allow smoking rooms — to accommodate the visiting dignitaries.
It's unclear which agency changed the rules, but the event's host, the Foreign and Common Office, said it was aware of the smoking rooms and will launch an investigation, the Mail reported.
Labour Party lawmakers have been accused of having a double standard, forcing British businesses to abide by the ban while lifting it when it suits themselves.
"'This clearly demonstrates that there are alternative solutions to the current smoking ban that our government is ignoring," smoking campaign group Freedom2choose chairman Andy Davis told the Mail. "Our government is accommodating the political leaders from across the globe, yet they are not prepared to accommodate millions of their own citizens."
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