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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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People s chance to quiz candidates Hilary Fletcher Evening News, Norwich Thursday 31 May 2001 It was billed as the chance for the people of Norwich South to unlock democracy and make their voices heard- but judging by the reactions of some in the audience at Meet the Candidates for Norwich South, it was a chance to get some shut-eye. The Rev John Marsh was in the chair and rarely had to cope with any egg or even insult-throwing from the audience. That is apart from one man who stormed out of the debate minutes after it began, swearing at Conservative candidate Andrew French. The audience might have been expecting Legalise Cannabis Alliance candidate Alun Buffry to sit back and roll a joint, but instead he plonked a fake pot plant on the table in front of him. Out of the seven members of the panel which also included Labour's Charles Clarke, the Liberal Democrat's Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne and the Green Party's Adrian Holmes, he was the one who attracted most applause from an audience grateful for some relief from the monotony. Asked how he would relieve the burden of red tape on teachers he declared: "The bureaucrats - I would put them in a cupboard under the stairs!" Rev Marsh smiled wryly, something he seemed to do every time Mr Buffry spoke. They all crawl out of the woodwork for the hustings - not least Tarquin Mills, standing for the UK Independence Party. A virtual double for Harry Enfield's Tory Boy, he gazed awkwardly through NHS glasses at his shoes. But unlike any other members of the panel he managed to keep hios answers short and sweet - even if he did forget one of the questions as soon as he was asked it. Tarquin rubbed shoulders with the Socialist Alliance's Dave Manningham - a dead ringer for Droopy. For Mr Manningham the revolution is here. "Let's tax the rich and tax the multinationals," he shouted. A the clock ticked inexorably towards 9pm, Mr Marsh was forced to cut the answers from the panel down from three minutes to two. One last question - and it was whether the candidates had lived in the area for more than five years. Mr French stood up and declared: "I am an outsider. I've only been in this area for the last nine months." Honesty is the best policy.
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