Rachel Reeves urged to levy ‘double whammy’ on firms’ £1bn annual profits to fund measures to end smoking

Doctors and health charities have urged Rachel Reeves to hit tobacco firms with a financial double whammy, including a windfall tax in the budget, to help fund Labour’s drive to eradicate smoking.

They are suggesting a one-off £74m surcharge and a new £700m-a-year permanent levy on the industry’s “obscene” profits from selling its lethal products.