Foreigners Have Much To Teach America About Smoking, Drinking
Your guest editor is probably the only Wonkette affiliate with an unabashed love of the zany antics politicians are always getting up to over in Merrie Olde Englande. Since it's going to be another hour or so before anyone who can stop us will be coming online, we give you: The Case Of The Chain-Smoking MP.
Charles Kennedy (that's his florid visage up there on the right) used to be the head of the Liberal Democrats (who are a British "third party", except that they sometimes get elected). But then he had to quit a couple of years back because he's a drunk. But that's not the only bit of legal-but-morally-dodgy substance use he's into!
Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has been "spoken to" by police for smoking on a train. Police said a man had been advised of the no smoking policy on the 1105 BST Paddington to Plymouth train earlier. They were told he was smoking on board and "refusing to stop", thinking it was fine to smoke out of the window.
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It is thought there was some sort of confrontation between the Lib Dem MP and train staff. The train was met on arrival by the police where Mr Kennedy was spoken to about his behaviour. He was not arrested.
That's more guts than we can imagine any American lawmaker ever showing, frankly. The image of the nicotine-deprived fellow sticking his head out of a moving train car like a dog is particularly charming.
Kennedy can expect backing from his fellow MPs, who all smoke like chimneys despite the laws that they themselves wrote.
On Thursday the House of Commons was told MPs were not obeying the new smoking ban. Although not illegal in the Palace of Westminster, both Houses of Parliament agreed to restrict smoking to four designated outside areas, although those caught smoking will not face financial penalties.
During a Commons debate on Thursday, Labour MP Betty Williams offered to show Leader of the House Harriet Harman where people were smoking -- to be met with cries of "division toilets" from other MPs.
Ha ha, it's just like high school, with the smoking in the bathrooms and the snitching! Except it's in England, so it's actually more like high school in Harry Potter, with old-timey paintings and magic and other whimsical shit.