JACK McCONNELL is coming under pressure from John Reid, the UK health secretary, to ditch plans for an outright smoking ban in Scotland.

Reid believes that a blanket ban, similar to that introduced in Ireland earlier this year, would be “political suicide” so close to a general election.

In particular he is worried at the impact a smoking ban would have in sports and social clubs in Labour’s central belt heartlands.

Reid sparked controversy earlier this year when he said it was wrong for middle-class politicians to ban what, for many working-class people, was their only pleasure.

His favoured option would be a ban restricted to restaurants and pubs selling food. McConnell is expected to insist on a ban to cover all pubs.

“John has studied the Irish model and doesn’t think it’s desirable. He is putting pressure on Jack, saying that a total ban would be massively unpopular with the public, with business and with our own party members,” said a Labour source close to Reid.

“His view is: how on earth are we to explain to people in the Labour clubs in the run up to the election that they’re not allowed to enjoy a cigarette?” McConnell was forced onto the defensive last week after being invited to address a dinner hosted by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA). Members branded his consultation exercise on the issue, which drew 54,000 responses, a “sham” that ignored business interests.

The first minister is also coming under pressure from Liberal Democrat MSPs, who agree that the restrictions to be announced next month should be limited. Like Reid, they are reluctant to introduce a ban that would hit Liberal clubs.

Sources close to McConnell said he is “a natural compromiser who will want to avoid a head-on fight”. They say he will aim to satisfy public health campaigners who say some form of a ban is essential, without being accused of engineering a nanny-state measure that will put thousands of jobs in the hospitality industry at risk.

Colin Wilkinson, the secretary of the SLTA, said a partial ban would be “disastrous” and could lead to pubs going out of business.

“We have heard the executive does not have the support of John Reid and you have to ask, is this another poll tax situation where Scotland becomes the guinea pig again? “The majority of people who go to pubs are smokers and will simply join their local club for a smoke. Some pubs will go out of business. It won’t solve the problem.”

A spokesman for Reid said he and McConnell may have discussed how best to implement a smoking ban, but denied that Reid was trying to set policy on a devolved issue.

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