By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 19:11 EST, 21 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:48 EST, 22 July 2013 . Adviser: David Cameron's head strategist, Lynton Crosby is also a lobbyist contracted by tobacco firms . The Prime Minister was yesterday forced to again deny that he was persuaded to drop plans for plain cigarette packaging by his adviser Lynton Crosby. But he refused to say whether he had spoken to his election strategist about the issue – simply that Mr Crosby ‘has not intervened... that’s the answer you’re getting’. Mr Crosby, an Australian who masterminded London Mayor Boris Johnson’s election campaign, is a well-known lobbyist whose firm has contracts with big tobacco firms including Philip Morris International, owner of the Marlboro brand. A number of major cigarette companies had campaigned against the introduction of plain packaging for their products. David Cameron has come under fire from health campaigners for postponing the decision to ban all branding from cigarette packets, as they claim children would be put off buying them which would save thousands of lives. In an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr yesterday, Mr Cameron was asked three times if he had spoken to Mr Crosby about the issue, but dodged the question. He said: ‘He [Crosby] has not intervened in any way on this or indeed on other issues.’ Mr Crosby’s role, he said, was ‘advising the Conservative Party on how to take on Labour, how to make a political argument, how to prepare for the next campaign’. Yesterday, Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron said while there was no evidence Mr Crosby had influenced policy, ‘it all looks dreadful’. ‘Even if there’s no fire, there’s plenty of smoke’, he told Sky News. Since he was appointed as the Tories’ election campaign manager, Mr Crosby has encouraged the party to focus . on mainstream issues of the economy, welfare and immigration. No smoke and no fire: The Prime Minister was forced to deny that he had been pressured by Mr Crosby, right, over the cigarette packaging plans . Plans previously backed by Mr Cameron for a  minimum unit price for alcohol, and a charge for plastic bags handed out by supermarkets, have been shelved. Mr Cameron insisted his party had ‘not changed our policy’ on plain packaging and he believes ‘there are merits’ to the idea. But it is understood the idea has been kicked into the long grass until after the election in 2015. Officially the Conservatives are waiting for more evidence from Australia, which introduced plain packaging last year.
David Cameron under pressure over role of Tory strategist Lynton Crosby .
Clients of lobbyist Mr Crosby include Philip Morris, owner of Marlboro .
Government dropped plan for plain cigarette packaging this month .
Prime Minister insists Mr Crosby 'has not intervened in any way on this'
By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 19:11 EST, 21 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:48 EST, 22 July 2013 . Adviser: David Cameron's head strategist, Lynton Crosby is also a lobbyist contracted by tobacco firms . The Prime Minister was yesterday forced to again deny that he was persuaded to drop plans for plain cigarette packaging by his adviser Lynton Crosby. But he refused to say whether he had spoken to his election strategist about the issue – simply that Mr Crosby ‘has not intervened... that’s the answer you’re getting’. Mr Crosby, an Australian who masterminded London Mayor Boris Johnson’s election campaign, is a well-known lobbyist whose firm has contracts with big tobacco firms including Philip Morris International, owner of the Marlboro brand. A number of major cigarette companies had campaigned against the introduction of plain packaging for their products. David Cameron has come under fire from health campaigners for postponing the decision to ban all branding from cigarette packets, as they claim children would be put off buying them which would save thousands of lives. In an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr yesterday, Mr Cameron was asked three times if he had spoken to Mr Crosby about the issue, but dodged the question. He said: ‘He [Crosby] has not intervened in any way on this or indeed on other issues.’ Mr Crosby’s role, he said, was ‘advising the Conservative Party on how to take on Labour, how to make a political argument, how to prepare for the next campaign’. Yesterday, Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron said while there was no evidence Mr Crosby had influenced policy, ‘it all looks dreadful’. ‘Even if there’s no fire, there’s plenty of smoke’, he told Sky News. Since he was appointed as the Tories’ election campaign manager, Mr Crosby has encouraged the party to focus . on mainstream issues of the economy, welfare and immigration. No smoke and no fire: The Prime Minister was forced to deny that he had been pressured by Mr Crosby, right, over the cigarette packaging plans . Plans previously backed by Mr Cameron for a minimum unit price for alcohol, and a charge for plastic bags handed out by supermarkets, have been shelved. Mr Cameron insisted his party had ‘not changed our policy’ on plain packaging and he believes ‘there are merits’ to the idea. But it is understood the idea has been kicked into the long grass until after the election in 2015. Officially the Conservatives are waiting for more evidence from Australia, which introduced plain packaging last year.
Lynton Crosby is also a lobbyist contracted by tobacco firms . The Prime Minister was yesterday drop plans for plain cigarette packaging by his big tobacco firms including Philip Morris International, owner of the Marlboro brand. A packaging for their products. David Cameron has has not intervened in any way on this or indeed election campaign manager, Mr Crosby has