Pub Date: Tuesday, 18 June 2002

Authors Tom Baldwin and Andrew Pierce

URL: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-10-330334,00.html

FRONTBENCH TORY BACKS LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS

TORY wounds on drugs and gay rights are re-opened today with the leak of a letter showing that a member of the Shadow Cabinet backs the repeal of laws against cannabis and the promotion of homosexuality.

John Bercow, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said that legalisation of cannabis would help the party to "reconnect with millions of people who consider the present law to be an ass". His letter, a copy of which has been obtained by The Times, said that allowing people to take cannabis legally would break the link with hard-drug pushers and encourage "freedom and responsibility".

Mr Bercow, the first Shadow Cabinet minister to advocate lifting the ban, added: "As long as people are given health warnings, they should be free to choose for themselves. Our approach has seemed shrill, impracticable and eerily detached from the reality of the lives of millions of our fellow citizens. This must change."

He also condemned the party for blocking the repeal of Section 28 laws, which are designed to prevent local authorities promoting homosexuality.

Those who "fulminate in support" of Section 28 have "only the haziest idea of its meaning in practice", he said. Aspects of the law are "gratuitously offensive", and Tories should be the "foe of all bigots" instead of choosing to "die in the ditch to defend" the policy.

The letter's disclosure reflects the growing tension between Tory traditionalists, who resent social liberals such as Mr Bercow, and modernisers, who are frustrated with the slow pace of change.

During the Tory leadership election last year Mr Duncan Smith sought to broaden his appeal by promising to review the party's position on cannabis and Section 28. Since then there have been no changes to policy in these areas, even though the Government has promised a softer approach to cannabis and signalled that it will launch another attempt to repeal Section 28 next

year.

Steven Norris, a leading moderniser, said last night: "How long does it take to review policy on Section 28? It's time to say 'no' to that piece of legislation, and maybe 'yo!' to cannabis."

Mr Bercow wrote the letter to Ann Widdecombe last July, before she quit as Shadow Home Secretary, when he was a member of her team.

His allies said yesterday that the leak, almost a year after the letter was written, could be an attempt to embarrass him after a series of rows on issues such as the rights of gay couples to adopt to children. Indeed, one leading Tory traditionalist said: "John should stick to his brief and stop stirring up trouble for Iain."

Mr Bercow said: "I've no intention of commenting on what was, until now, private correspondence." Asked if he still held the views expressed in the letter, he replied: "I'm a member of the Shadow Cabinet and I am pleased to share responsibility for the party's policies."

He has already been slapped down for previous comments on such issues. When he hinted in an interview last year that he did not support an "all-out war" against soft drugs, Mr Bercow was forced to issue an immediate statement saying he did not advocate legalisation of cannabis.

Miss Widdecombe, whose hardline stance on cannabis prompted an infamous Shadow Cabinet revolt two years ago when eight of her colleagues admitted having experimented with the drug, also refused to discuss the leaked letter. She made it clear, however, that she remained deeply opposed to Mr Bercow's views. On Section 28, Miss Widdecombe said: "It's the duty of Conservatives to protect the vulnerable and I can think of nothing more vulnerable than the innocent minds of young children."