The UK government could retreat from proposals to introduce a partial ban on smoking and opt for a complete ban instead due to mounting pressure from MPs.

However, at the final Downing Street press conference of the year on 21 December, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he did not regard maintaining the partial ban on smoking as an issue of confidence, despite warnings to Labour MPs that they risk defeat over such a watered-down ban.

The government's partial ban will not only allow smoking in pubs not serving food and private members clubs but also put exemptions in place for prisons and the Armed Forces.

In late October, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt was forced to make an embarrassing u-turn on her proposals for a near-total ban on smoking in all public places, which would have included all pubs and restaurants, following a row between cabinet ministers.

The plans for a blanket ban were scuppered after they were criticised by Hewitt's predecessor John Reid, now the defence secretary, who argued that a complete ban would go against proposals in Labour's 2004 election manifesto.

The Commons Health Select Committee said this week that a partial smoking ban would be 'unfair, unjust and unworkable'. The committee also said that the plans could even cause the number of poorer people who smoke to rise.

So far, a cross-party group of 95 MPs – including a reported 53 Labour backbenchers – have signed a Commons motion to request a free vote in January and backed calls for a total ban on smoking, in line with existing bans in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Details: www.dh.gov.uk