A MarlboroAn American brand of cigarettes. Light in a pub garden. KFCAn American fast food restaurant chain that used to be called Kentucky Fried Chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain after McDonald's. adverts on daytime TV. Monster Energy drinks sold to 15-year-olds. All have the potential to harm your health. And all might soon be banned in Britain.

These are three proposals from the country's new LabourBritain's main left-of-centre political party. government. They are looking for ways to make the country healthier. As the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, explained, "we have got to take action" to reduce pressure on the NHSThe National Health Service, the publicly funded healthcare system in the UK. The NHS was founded in 1948..¹

But critics have accused Labour of introducing a "nanny state". This term describes an overprotective government trying to control people's lives. It was famously used in the 1980s by a Conservative partyA British political party. Members are known as Tories. peerA member of the House of Lords, one of the two houses that makes up the UK parliament., Lord Balfour of Inchrye, to oppose the compulsory wearing of seatbelts by people in cars.

Critics of the nanny state argue that it limits personal liberty. People should be free to take part in unhealthy activities, provided they do not break the law.

According to Christopher Snowdon, a campaigner against the "nanny state", Britain is one of the most controlling countries in the world for eating, drinking, smoking and vaping. But he thinks the public are "fed up" with being told how to live their lives.² He also argues that these policies have a disproportionate impact on the working class.

Fans of "nanny state" policies think this is a good thing. They argue that children living in poverty are much more likely to be overweight. Banning the sale of fatty and sugary foods at supermarket checkouts, for example, is designed to help the least well-off in society.³

They also argue that the term "nanny state" is misapplied. Yes, politicians telling adults what to do can be annoying, but creating rules for children is part of good government. In fact, 60% of adults support a ban on smartphone use for under-16s, given concerns about their impact on mental health.⁴

Labour is a left-wing party. Traditionally, parties on the left were in favour of more tax, more government, and more rules to protect people. Conversely, parties on the right - like the Conservatives - were in favour of small government and individual liberty.

But these labels are out of date. For instance, it was a Conservative leader - Rishi SunakA British politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024. - who proposed banning young people from ever being able to smoke. And it was another Conservative leader - Boris Johnson - who introduced the strictest government controls in living memory, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even the idea of freedom does not fit easily into left or right. If alcohol was banned, would people be more or less free? On the one hand, they would lose the right to drink beer or wine in pubs. On the other hand, there may be fewer fights, injuries, car accidents and crimes - all of which reduce people's freedom.

The government has a responsibility to keep its citizens safe. For most people, this means protecting them from foreign armies, criminal gangs and health crises. For fans of the "nanny state," however, this means protecting citizens from themselves.

Is Britain no longer a free country?

Yes: People should be free to drink, smoke and eat junk food - even if it harms their health. Governments will never be able to eradicate unhealthy behaviour completely.

No: Many safety laws that we take for granted were once examples of the "nanny state". In fact, new measures to protect children are both sensible and popular.

Or... The line between liberty and safety is not always clear. That is why both Labour and Conservative governments have brought in "nanny state" policies to protect their citizens.