Bob Ainsworth describes war on drugs as ‘nothing short of a disaster’ and calls on government to look at other options
Helene Mulholland
Guardian
A former Labour minister was rebuked by Ed Miliband’s office today after calling for a “grown-up debate” to consider legalising drugs on the grounds that prohibition has failed to protect the public.
Bob Ainsworth, the MP for Coventry North East, who previously served as a drugs minister in the Home Office and as defence secretary, has claimed that the war on drugs has been “nothing short of a disaster” and that it was time to study other options, including decriminalising possession of drugs and legally regulating their production and supply.
His comments were met with dismay by the party leadership, while fellow backbencher John Mann claimed that Ainsworth “doesn’t know what he’s talking about”.
A spokeswoman for Miliband made clear that Ainsworth’s comments did not have the blessing of the leadership or the wider party. She said: “These are not the views of Ed Miliband, the Labour party or the wider British public.”
A party source described the legalisation proposal as “extremely irresponsible”, adding: “I don’t know what he was thinking.”
Mann, who carried out an inquiry into hard drug use in his Bassetlaw constituency while Ainsworth was drugs minister, said: “He didn’t know what he was talking about when I met him with my constituents during my heroin inquiry and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about now.”
Ainsworth, who claimed that his departure from the frontbenches now allowed him to express his “long-held view” on drugs policy, is due to lay out his case later today at a debate in Westminster Hall.
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