What straw pushed the UK Cabinet just one too far?

What would it take to see the New Labour cabinet split? When neither going to war, adding tuition fees, introducing id cards, or holding suspects without charge for up to three months has done nothing to cause New Labour to contemplate just how truly Tory they are? Smoking. Or more particularly a bad on smoking in public places. That's done it. And it's done it in exactly a Tory-esque way: interference, impact on enterprise, can't work. Nanny state, etc etc -

Never mind the fact that apparently 91% of, say, Northern Ireland, supports a total ban, and that Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are bringing in or have brought in total bans, or that great swaths of North America have done likewise, with consequent benefits to health and enjoyment. Nope. Doesn't matter. There are principles at stake here - or something.

Or maybe it's just politics - Blair doesn't care that ex health minister John Reid and health minister Patricia Hewitt are going at it publicly about full ban / half ban.

Or maybe, pardon the pun, it's a carefully orchestrated smoke screen to keep public gaze away from the new parts of the "terrorism legislation" (why is it called terrorism legislation rather than anti-terrorism legislation): while the media watches the cabinet bun fight, the home secretary and prime minister can make id cards and prolonged detention without charge a below the fold story.

Meanwhile, the Lords reconsider whether or not evidence produced from torture - as long as the uk was not involved - can be used as evidence in a uk court. Musn't use wiretaps. no no. But third party torture reports? Please feel free to smoke while you read.