Report: Cigarettes to be sold in plain packets in U-turn

Cigarettes are to be be sold in plain packages before the next general election, in an attempt to make smoking less attractive to young people, according to The Times (£).

It is a U-turn on the government's original decision to shelve the plan last July.

Ministers will announce a review into the scheme in Australia - the first country to introduce plain cartons - to report back in March.

At the time of his decision in July, Mr Cameron said there was insufficient evidence of the impact of plain packaging.

He refused to deny he had discussed the issue with his chief electoral strategist, Lynton Crosby, who worked with the tobacco firm Philip Morris as it lobbied against such a move in Australia.