Labour could propose tough new measures on smoking and public health, according to leaked papers.

The Guardian reported on Wednesday that it had seen policy documents to be put to the party's national policy forum next month which will form the basis for the government's general election manifesto.

A ban on smoking in public places could become official party policy if ratified at Labour's annual autumn conference.

The papers are the result of Tony Blair's flagship "Big Conversation" consultation events and will be put forward by the forum to the Brighton gathering ahead of an expected election next year.

The options under consideration are whether to propose allowing local authorities to push through the smoking ban in restaurants and pubs or whether the order should come from central government.

"The need to protect young people and children is seen as of paramount importance," the papers conclude, despite health secretary John Reid having come out against an outright ban.

Junk food

Another area where activists could overrule ministers is in a crackdown on advertising junk food to children amid a looming obesity crisis.

While the media secretary Tessa Jowell has proposed the television industry takes self-regulating action, the policy papers propose "perhaps even an outright ban on these adverts if the evidence shows that such actions would help to make children healthier".

Food labelling rules could also get tougher with the documents announcing a need to have "further consumer information through both marketing and labelling if we are to raise the quality of the nation's diet".

They papers propose a reward system for school pupils to incentivise healthy eating habits.

Labour may step up its war on binge drinking with one option giving the government "the right to review advertising guidelines or impose a statutory levy or legislation on the drinks industry if it fails to live up to its responsibilities".

"Britain suffers from binge drinking, heavy consumption over a short period of time," the papers declare.

"Its effects on families and communities were a top issue at Big Conversation events ... the binge drinking culture means that many areas particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings are no-go areas for families and older people."

Civil liberties

A Labour spokesman confirmed that the leaks were accurate but denied any decisions on the manifesto were cast in stone.

"The draft document reflects the concerns raised by party members on this issue, but does not draw definitive conclusions," he said.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow said the government should ignore any civil liberties criticisms of a smoking ban.

"It's high time the government stopped dithering and enforced a smoking ban in public places," he said.

"On straight public health grounds, preventing smoking in public places would deliver substantial health benefits.

"A ban would protect staff and customers from the effects of second-hand smoke, and would help many more kick the habit.

"There is a civil liberties issue, but the test must surely be: does a person's freedom to smoke in a public place do serious harm to others? It clearly does, as smoking kills."