Byron Davies

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Byron Davies is a former Metropolitan Police Inspector and Welsh Conservative Party politician1, who was the Member of British Parliament (MP) for Gower (Wales) from 2015 to 2017.2
Previously he was a Member of the Welsh Assembly for South Wales West from 2011 to 2015.3
In September 2017 he was named as chair of the Welsh Conservatives.2

Relationship with the Tobacco Industry

’Wined and Dined’ British American Tobacco

Newspaper The Guardian revealed in December 2017 that Davies had hosted a reception for British American Tobacco (BAT), focused on illicit tobacco trade.4
A spokesperson for BAT told The Guardian:4

“The event we held brought together parliamentarians, retailers, law enforcement figures and the tobacco industry to discuss how to tackle the growing issue of black market tobacco in the UK, which we felt was an important issue to discuss given the black market in tobacco is illegal, deprives the exchequer of much needed revenue, undermined legitimate retailers’ businesses and the criminality associated with it includes people trafficking, as well as the sale of drugs and weapons”.

The event had taken place on 14 November 2016, and speakers included:

Labour’s health spokesperson, Justin Madders, condemned the event and said:

“Members of parliament ought to be setting a lead on public health issues and, with such a well-established link between tobacco and poor health, it seems incongruous and unsettling for so many tobacco companies to be hosting events in parliament”.4

BAT has previously been accused of facilitating tobacco smuggling.
For more information go to BAT Involvement in Tobacco Smuggling. Also see Tobacco Smuggling in the UK.

TobaccoTactics Resources

Relevant link

Parliamentary biography of Byron Davies.

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References

  1. ↑National Assembly for Wales, Byron Davies AM, 2018, accessed January 2018
  2. ↑abBBC News, Byron Davies elected Welsh Conservative chair, 4 September 2017, accessed January 2018
  3. ↑Byron Davies Biography, politics.co.uk, 2018, accessed January 2018
  4. ↑abcR. Mason, Tory and DUP MPs criticised for ‘wining and dining’ tobacco firms, The Guardian , 29 December 2017, accessed January 2018
  5. ↑British American Tobacco, Former Chief Constable joins British American Tobacco’s fight against global tobacco trafficking, News Release 20 May 2013, accessed January 2018
  6. ↑National Federation of Retail Newsagents, Parliamentary event highlight illicit tobacco trade, NFRN website, 15 November 2016, accessed January 2018

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