The Government at last stopped dithering over its plans to restrict smoking in England's bars and restaurants, as we and many others have been urging it to do. Unfortunately, though, it decided to follow dither with a wholly uncceptable fudge.

After all the bickering between ministers over whether a ban should cover private clubs as well as all pubs and whether sealed smoking rooms away from staff should be allowed, the proposals took a big step back to those outlined in Labour's election manifesto.

The decision to impose a ban on smoking in pubs that serve food but to allow it to continue in those that don't as well as in private members' clubs means that bar staff and non-smoking customers will remain at risk in a large number of establishments.

This goes against the wishes of many people in this country who have expressed support for the idea of a total ban on smoking in all enclosed public places, and that goes for all pubs and restaurants. Health campaigners, unions and countless individuals have declared their support for the Telegraph & Argus Clear the Air Campaign. It is what the non-smoking majority want.

We all know now that second-hand smoke is a serious health hazard and can be a killer. The only way to safeguard non-smokers is to make it illegal for smokers to pollute the air they have to breathe - and incidentally make it easier for smokers to cut down or even stop by reducing their social opportunities to smoke.

Northern Ireland has acknowledged this. So have Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. The Government must think again and followed their lead in England.