Food industry lobbying 'leads Labour to drop public health plans'

Labour has ditched ambitious plans to tackle Britain's growing toll of life-style-related illness after lobbying by food and alcohol firms, health experts claim.

- Denis Campbell

Ministerial inaction on ill health caused by bad diet, alcohol and smoking is so serious that the NHS could "collapse" as a result of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, they warn. Bold pledges Labour made before being elected to drive through a "prevention-first revolution" have been replaced by "diluted ambition" and a lack of leadership on the scourge of avoidable disease.

The charge against ministers has been made by Sarah Woolnough and Jennifer Dixon, the chief executives of the influential King's Fund and Health Foundation thinktanks.

They welcome Labour moves on reducing smoking, banning junk food advertising to children and outlawing energy drink sales to under-16s in England. But they accuse ministers of lacking the "political courage" to implement radical policies to reduce the huge harm linked to unhealthy food, alcohol and air pollution.

They say Labour is repeating the mistakes of previous governments by letting "vested interests" wield too much influence and water down planned policies.