Former British MP joins tobacco industry

On April 10, 2025, it was announced that former British Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt, who held several senior ministerial positions, including as Defense Secretary and Speaker of the House of Commons, had accepted a consultancy position with British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the world's largest tobacco companies.

Penny Mordaunt has accepted a position as a harm reduction advisor to the tobacco company.[1].

A high-level appointment in the tobacco industry

Ms. Mordaunt joined the Transformation Advisory Board of BAT, an organization created by the company to provide external perspectives on its long-term strategic development. According to documents made public, she is expected to provide 25 hours of consulting work in exchange for a payment of £10,000 (approximately €11,500). Her responsibilities include advising BAT on global strategy, corporate governance, and, more specifically, on matters related to the risk reductionThe tobacco company said its insights should inform how BAT handles regulation, stakeholder engagement and its transition to what it describes as "reduced-risk" products.

This appointment has been formally assessed by the UK government's Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA), which has approved it subject to certain conditions. Ms. Mordaunt is prohibited, for two years, from engaging with the UK government on these matters or from using inside information obtained during her term for the benefit of the manufacturer. ACOBA acknowledged that while Ms. Mordaunt had no direct contact with BAT during her term, her proximity to decision-making circles and the senior positions she held within the government could give her new responsibilities an appearance of undue influence.[2].

Penny Mordaunt's appointment comes just months after she lost her seat in the 2024 parliamentary election. During her term as an MP, she chaired the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee, the body responsible for organizing the government's legislative program. In this capacity, she abstained from voting on the bill. Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a major public health bill introduced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, aimed at banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009—a measure supported by all health authorities. His new role has raised questions, not only because of the timing of this contract just after taking office, but also because BAT still derives around 80 % of its global revenue from traditional combustible tobacco products. Despite its stated commitment to switching to alternatives such as e-cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches, the company remains, first and foremost, a tobacco company. Moreover, while BAT markets these products as less harmful, public health experts continue to warn that the company's core business model remains focused on promoting addiction, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

A growing crisis of confidence in political integrity and tobacco control

The announcement was strongly condemned by health advocates, NGOs, and politicians in the UK and internationally. The main concern is that Mordaunt's role directly contradicts the UK's obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), particularly Article 5.3, which calls on governments to protect public health policies from the commercial and other interests of the tobacco industry.

Health organizations such as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) have pointed out that BAT's self-proclaimed commitment to harm reduction is undermined by its continued commercial reliance on deadly products. Hazel Cheeseman, ASH's chief executive, said: "As long as BAT's business is primarily based on the sale of cigarettes, its advisory boards will be little more than an attempt to gain legitimacy through proximity to former civil servants" and public officials.

This controversy is not isolated. In recent years, public health coalitions in the UK have repeatedly called on MPs to refuse gifts, hospitality, and professional engagements with industries linked to public health harm, including tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods.[3]In a 2024 open letter signed by more than 100 organizations, they warned that such relationships risk distorting policymaking and delaying essential interventions. Ms. Mordaunt's new role appears to confirm these fears.

Meanwhile, a recent investigation has revealed that the tobacco industry, including BAT, has actively worked to delay and undermine the UK government's Tobacco-Free Generation plan.[4]Tactics used included lobbying, mobilizing front groups, and attempts to portray restrictive legislation as disproportionate and tantamount to state interference in individual choices. The industry's strategy continues to rely on a narrative of choice, innovation, and harm reduction, despite mounting evidence of its continued targeting of youth and vulnerable populations.

By supporting BAT's business, Ms. Mordaunt is lending credibility and political leverage to a company that has consistently opposed public health reforms. For health professionals, this appointment sends a worrying message at a time when the UK is trying to position itself as a global leader in tobacco control.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE

[1] Rowena Mason, Penny Mordaunt takes job advising one of world's largest tobacco firms, The Guardian, published April 10, 2025, accessed April 14, 2025

[2] Penny Mordaunt joins British American Tobacco, BBC, published April 10, 2025, accessed April 14, 2025

[3] Tobacco-free generation, UK: Coalition urges MPs to reject gifts from tobacco, alcohol and junk food companies, published September 4, 2024, accessed April 14, 2025

[4] Tobacco-free generation, How the tobacco industry and its allies tried to undermine Britain's plan for a tobacco-free generation, published March 28, 2025, accessed April 14, 2025

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