The legal age for buying tobacco should rise every year to stop youngsters taking up smoking, the Prime Minister has said as he also pledged to crack down on the sale of disposable vapes to children.

Rishi Sunak said more must be done to “try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place” as he set out plans to introduce a new law banning tobacco sales to anybody born on or after January 1 2009.

He told the Conservative Party conference in Manchester that “a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette”, under new legislation for England.

Mr Sunak also said more must be done to “restrict the availability” of vapes to children.

“If we are to do the right thing for our kids, we must try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place,” he said.

“Because without a significant change thousands of children will start smoking in the coming years and have their lives cut short as a result.”

He added: “I propose that in future we raise the smoking age by one year every year.

“That means a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke free.”

Mr Sunak added: “People take up cigarettes when they’re young – four in five smokers have started by the time they’re 20.

“Later the vast majority try to quit. But many fail because they’re addicted and they wish they had never taken up the habit in the first place.

“And if we could break that cycle, if we could stop the start, then we would be on our way to ending the biggest cause of preventable death and disease in our country.”

He said the vote on the proposal in Parliament will be a “free vote” and it is a “matter of conscience” for MPs.

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