LONDON   -   The UK parliament on Tuesday kicked off its first debate on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s planned flagship legislation to prevent young people from smoking, despite opposition from many in his own Conservative Party. The law would ban the selling of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009 -- effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population. “This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040,” the government said when it unveiled the plan, calling the move “historic”. While the law looks set to pass thanks to support from opposition parties -- including Labour, which is expected to win a general election due this year -- Sunak faces the prospect of a rebellion from backbench Tory MPs. The beleaguered leader has little political capital to expend within his fractured party as he struggles to revive its fortunes following months of dire polling.