Pubdate: Mon, 16 Aug 1999
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 1999 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Author: Roland Watson, Chief Political Correspondent

KENNEDY SPEAKS UP FOR DRUG LAW REVIEW

CHARLES KENNEDY flirted with political controversy yesterday by embracing a
wholesale review of Britain's drug laws.

The new Liberal Democrat leader said the issue was critical to every family
in the land and deserved more serious attention than the other two major
parties were prepared to give it.

Although the Liberal Democrats are in favour of a royal commission on the
decriminalisation of cannabis, it was an issue that Paddy Ashdown, Mr
Kennedy's predecessor, shrank from.

However, less than a week after inheriting Mr Ashdown's crown, Mr Kennedy
indicated that he was prepared to tackle the issue head-on.

He said that those who insisted Britain had got it right over drugs were out
of touch and that voters would appreciate the party's honesty for saying so.
Mr Kennedy said: "One of the vital things about this party is that it can
discuss issues of this sort. It needs to remain ahead of the game. I think
that there are some newspaper editors who are actually behind the agenda in
terms of what people talk about out there."

Mr Kennedy's comments will delight the party's grassroots, though they may
alarm its more pragmatic members.

His move was seen as the first strong signal that he intends to be a very
different leader from Mr Ashdown, who strove for respectability and made it
his political life's work to rid it of its woolly hats and sandals image.

The comments put the Liberal Democrats squarely at odds with both of the
other main parties. A government spokesman said: "Tony Blair is against
decriminalisation of cannabis and sees no value in a royal commission."

Ann Widdecombe, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: "Charles Kennedy clearly
has yet to learn how a responsible party leader should behave.

"This is an unbelievable first commitment which will alienate many of the
people who put a cross by his name in the recent leadership election and who
voted Liberal Democrat two years ago."

* Bishop told 'get real'

Anti-drugs campaigners have condemned an Anglican bishop after he admitted
that he had used cannabis and supported calls for its legalisation.

Liz Harrison, the chairwoman of Locals Against Drugs, said the Right Rev
Richard Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh, should stay "in the real world" and
see the damage done by drugs to the next generation.

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