THE leader of the Scottish Tories last night challenged the first minister to a public debate on his home turf about the Scottish Executive's forthcoming smoking ban.

David McLetchie threw down the gauntlet to Jack McConnell, daring him to make the case for a ban in his own Motherwell andWishaw constituency. Playing on Labour fears of a working class backlash over the smoking bill, Mr McLetchie said he wanted to see how Mr

McConnell would justify a stricter ban than that being proposed south of the border.

He said: "Let's take the argument to the people.

"Let's go to a social club on his patch in Lanarkshire and see who the people back - Jack and his total ban, or the Scottish Conservatives who support the far more reasonable and balanced approach which has been taken in England by [health secretary] John Reid.

"Will Mr McConnell rise to the challenge, or continue to ignore the

views of six out of seven Scots who want a more reasonable approach?"

Under the executive's proposals, smoking would be banned from all enclosed public spaces from spring 2006, including bars, restaurants, social clubs and workplaces.

However, under the English ban, there would be broad exemptions for private clubs whose members voted to allow smoking, and pubs which did not serve prepared food.

The executive has justified its harder line by pointing to Scotland's dismal health record, and the desperate need to tackle heart disease, strokes, cancer and chronic bronchitis.

Each year, 13,000 die in Scotland from smoking themselves, and up to 2000 more die from inhaling other people's smoke. Around 1.2m adults in Scotland are smokers, 70per cent of whom want to quit.

However the executive's own opinion poll found barely 13per cent of respondents in favour of a total public ban.

Mr McLetchie's challenge comes as opponents of the Scottish ban prepare to step up their campaign against Mr McConnell.

The licensed trade, which fears the loss of 30,000 jobs if smokers desert pubs, will link up with the tobacco trade at a conference on January 13.

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said the executive had used "gross distortions" in making its case for a ban.

The conference would allow opponents to present "a more balanced view", he said, as well as highlighting 7000 jobs lost in the Irish hospitality trade since a smoking ban last spring.

An executive spokeswoman said: "We will continue to work with the licensed trade and other businesses to implement the ban."

A source close to the first minister said there was "no prospect" of Mr McConnell taking up Mr McLetchie's challenge

He added: "The vast majority of people in Scotland know that we need to improve our public health, and the smoking ban will do that."