Ed Miliband keeps Labour open to legalising cannabis: Shadow Cabinet minister says the party will ‘look at’ the results of Sadiq Khan’s drugs commission
- Ed Miliband says that Labour Party would ‘look at’ results of drug commission
- Commission was set up by London mayor Sadiq Khan who went to US last week
- London mayor described a cannabis dispensary as ‘fascinating’ during LA visit
Shadow Cabinet minister Ed Miliband yesterday refused to rule out Labour moving to legalise cannabis.
The former Opposition leader, who supported decriminalising it four years ago, said the party would ‘look at’ the results of a drugs commission set up by Sadiq Khan.
The London mayor described a cannabis dispensary as ‘fascinating’ during a visit to Los Angeles, California, last week. Mr Khan has no powers to change drug laws but revealed he was appointing former justice secretary Lord Falconer to lead the inquiry.
The former Opposition leader, who supported decriminalising it four years ago, said the party would ‘look at’ the results of a drugs commission set up by Sadiq Khan
Mr Miliband, when asked if he would like to see Class B cannabis legalised in the UK, replied: ‘That isn’t Labour’s position, no. We welcome Sadiq looking at these issues because this debate should carry on.
‘But Labour’s Shadow Cabinet position is that we’re not yet convinced of the case for moving on decriminalisation.’
Home Secretary Priti Patel has criticised Mr Khan’s move, saying his ‘time would be better spent focusing on knife and drug crime in London’. The commission will not look at more dangerous Class A drugs.
In 2018 Mr Miliband, now Labour climate change spokesman, backed a call in a newspaper article by former Tory leader William Hague for the legalisation of cannabis.
Lord Hague wrote that the UK’s drug policy was ‘inappropriate, ineffective and out of date’ and the ‘battle is effectively over’.
The London mayor described a cannabis dispensary as ‘fascinating’ during a visit to Los Angeles, California, last week. Mr Khan has no powers to change drug laws but revealed he was appointing former justice secretary Lord Falconer to lead the inquiry
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