Parties, campaigners and traders react to failed e-cig ban

It was the last day of the Assembly's term and they seemed to save the best drama till the end. A major row has broken out after a Labour Minister called winning support from Plaid Cymru a 'cheap date'. Plaid Cymru responded by withdrawing their backing for a major public health bill that had been due to pass.

Today, health chiefs hit out saying politicians shouldn't 'play games with the nation's health.'

Anti-smoking campaigners ASH Wales Cymru have expressed their disappointment at the failure of the Public Health Bill.

They have expressed their concern that the tobacco control measures contained in the proposed legislation might be lost.

The Bill would have led to the creation of a national register of retailers of tobacco products and it would have restricted smoking in public playgrounds, school grounds and hospital grounds.

The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams, has criticised the Labour government for trying to ban the use of e-cigarettes despite, she says, evidence saying this could harm public health.

Campaigners and traders have reacted to the failed Public Health Bill, which included proposals to ban the use of e-cigarettes in some public places.

The British Vape Trade Association -which is made up of importers, distributors and vendors within vaping- has expressed their 'delight' at the u-turn.

Campaigners within the group 'Forest' which advised against plans to ban the use of e-cigarettes have also welcomed the news.

The Welsh Conservatives have welcomed the defeat of the Public Health Bill.

The Public Health Bill has been defeated in the Senedd tonight, after Plaid Cymru withdrew its support at the last minute.

Their decision came after Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews described a previous deal with the party as like a "cheap date".

Health Minister Mark Drakeford said he was "deeply disappointed".

Watch: The exchange that led to Plaid withdrawing its support

Labour have accused Plaid Cymru of bringing the Assembly into disrepute, following the defeat of the Public Health Bill.

The Health Minister, Mark Drakeford, said he was "deeply disappointed" and predicted "widespread anger" at the bill's defeat. He said five years of careful preparation had been wasted.

Mr Drakeford also defended the controversial attempt to restrict the use of e-cigarettes, which are seen by many AMs as a way of helping people to stop smoking. He said he'd wanted to "protect a generation who have grown up in a smoke-free environment from re-normalising smoking".

The Public Health Bill has been defeated in the Senedd after the final vote on the proposed law was tied with 26 votes for and 26 against.

The Presiding Officer was then required to use her casting vote to halt the legislation.

The Welsh Government, which has no majority in the Assembly, had been relying on the support of Plaid Cymru AMs to pass its proposals, which included restrictions on the smoking of e-cigarettes.

Relations between the two parties broke down this afternoon following a row over earlier legislation.

The defeat was the final act before the Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler, announced the end of the 2011-2016 Assembly.

It won't meet again before it's dissolved next month, prior to the election in May.

Plaid Cymru have said that the party offered to support the recall of the Assembly before it's dissolved next month if Labour would agree to dropping restrictions on e-cigarettes from the Public Health Bill. The move followed the breakdown of co-operation between the two parties after the Public Services minister, Leighton Andrews claimed that Plaid had been a "cheap date" when he needed support for his Local Government Bill.

Until today, the Government had thought it would get its legislation passed although all the opposition parties were against the e-cigarette restrictions. That's because Plaid had allowed two of its AMs, including its Health Spokesperson, Elin Jones, to vote in line with their personal wish to see the use of e-cigarettes discouraged. Ms Jones and the other AM -Llyr Gruffydd- have now been instructed to vote against.

The expected defeat of the Government tonight will be almost the final event in the Senedd before the Mace is removed later this evening, marking the end of the 2011-2016 Assembly. The Labour Government has survived for five years despite not having an overall majority and only faces losing a major piece of legislation on the very last day that the Assembly will sit before the election. There's expected to be a tied vote, with the Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler required to then use her casting vote to stop the Bill proceeding.