Full list of places smoking to be banned including outside football grounds as UK government documents leaked

Leaked documents have revealed that the UK government plans to BAN smoking outside football grounds.

Following victory in the general election last month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour government are hoping to pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill into law.

The legislation would crack down on smoking in outdoor spaces, drastically extending the indoor smoking ban that was introduced in 2007.

The proposal follows warnings from the NHS that passive smoking is particularly dangerous for children as they can develop asthma and meningitis.

According to The Sun, leaked Whitehall papers show that ministers plan to ban smoking in areas outside football stadiums, as well as pub beer gardens, restaurant terraces, pavements outside nightclubs and music venues, small parks, playgrounds and outside universities and hospitals.

Vaping could also be banned under the legislation.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was initially designed to implement Rishi Sunak’s plan to phase out all smoking by continually raising the legal age for buying cigarettes.

The original bill made no mention of an outdoor smoking ban when unveiled at the King’s Speech in July.

Ministers and officials have since been working to toughen up the proposals due to fears that too many people suffer from second-hand smoke inhalation.

The move has sparked Cabinet tensions, with memos showing the Business Department fearing the financial cost to hospitality.

There are fears that pubs - many of which now rely on match day traffic - could suffer if an outdoor smoking ban is introduced.