AS Health Secretary, Alan Milburn placed great emphasis on the need for the National Health Service to invest time and money in measures to prevent diseases as well as treatments to cure them.

Of particular interest to us - because of our Chance to Live campaign aimed at cutting waiting times for heart bypass operations - was his initiative in establishing the country's first national framework for coronary care.

In short, we believe the Darlington MP did many good things during his time as Health Secretary and we are on record for applauding his achievements.

So against that background, it is hard to understand his continuing uncertainty over whether there should be a complete smoking ban in pubs and clubs.

With so much evidence about the lethal effects of passive smoking, it seems to us to be a clear moral choice in the forthcoming free vote on the issue.

We have repeatedly said that the Government cannot have it both ways on banning smoking in pubs and clubs. Its original proposal that licensed premises not serving food should be exempt from the ban was half-baked and illogical.

If the Government believes that smoking damages the health of staff and customers, then that principle must apply to all bars - not some.

It is nice that the former Health Secretary is listening to the views of his constituents. But there are some issues which require elected politicians to show strong leadership and this is one of them.

Mr Milburn, it is time to come off the fence.