MEPs tobacco subsidy cut goes up in smoke

In a close vote, the European Parliament decided on Thursday (27 October) to uphold subsidies to tobacco farmers, causing surprise in the anti-subsidy camp.

"These subsidies are ridiculous and should end. Given the vote was so close today, we hope enough MEPs will see sense and support us in abolishing this profligacy," Neil Parish, MEP from the centre-right EPP-ED group said.

The parliament's budget committee voted earlier this month to scrap subsidies to European tobacco fa...