Subj: Grass up the Cabinet

Source: The Mirror

Date: Monday, October 9, 2000

GRASS UP THE CABINET

Did YOU smoke dope with one of Blair's ministers?

CABINET Ministers were branded hypocrites last night for refusing to reveal if they have smoked dope.

Today, in an attempt to uncover the truth, The Mirror urges YOU to tell us if you have seen any member of the Government puff on a joint.

Perhaps it was at university or college in the 70s. Maybe it was at a student party. Maybe it was even more recently. Phone our potline below. Seven senior Tories admitted this week they have smoked cannabis.

And last night Labour backbencher Paul Flynn, who wants cannabis legalised, said: "The Cabinet should follow their example and end their hypocrisy of refusing to say whether they have ever used the drug."

Mr Flynn hit out after the Government hid behind its "standard" policy of not responding to surveys with most of the 22 ministers refusing to say either way. A spokeswoman for Tony Blair said: "We don't respond to surveys."

The reply was echoed by spokesmen for other Cabinet members, including John Prescott, Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson, Robin Cook and Alistair Darling.

Jack Straw, David Blunkett and Chris Smith said they have never touched drugs. Mo Mowlam is the only Cabinet Ministers who has admitted to doing so.

Among a clutch of Labour members quizzed by The Mirror only Paddy Tipping, MP for Sherwood, admitted once smoking dope.

He said: "As a student I went to parties where cannabis was available. I did have a few puffs, but it made me sick. It was a long time ago and I've never tried it since. I certainly wouldn't vote to decriminalise it. I see no compelling argument to legalise cannabis."

Labour denied it was trying to stifle debate. A party spokesman said: "We're happy to debate whether cannabis should be legalised, or whether our strategy for dealing with drugs is the right one.

"But we don't want to get into discussing people's personal lives."

Asked by The Mirror why ministers' behaviour was not relevant to the drugs debate, No 10 said: "It's standard practice that we do not respond to surveys. It is not conducive to good government."

Mr Flynn said: "The debates on soft drugs so far have been full of hypocrisy with exaggerated claims of their dangers. It's unlikely for users to progress to hard drugs."

BLAIR'S SILENT CABINET

What the ministers' offices said in response to our question

TONY BLAIR, Prime Minister: "We do not respond to such surveys."

JOHN PRESCOTT, Deputy Prime Minister: "We don't get involved in surveys of this nature."

GORDON BROWN, Chancellor of the Exchequer: "We don't take part in surveys."

JACK STRAW, Home Secretary: "He has been asked this before and made clear his position that he has never taken drugs."

ROBIN COOK, Foreign Secretary: "Our reaction to these surveys is that we don't respond to surveys."

DAVID BLUNKETT, Home Secretary: "he answer is no."

ALAN MILBURN, Health Secretary: "It's not really his cup of tea."

DERRY IRVINE, Lord Chancellor: "A survey like this is not something he would get involved in."

ALISTAIR DARLING, Social Security Secretary: "We don't answer surveys like this."

CHRIS SMITH, Culture Secretary: "The answer is no. I've never been tempted."

ANDREW SMITH, Treasury Chief Secretary: "We don't take part in surveys."

PETER MANDELSON, Northern Ireland Secretary: "We never respond to surveys."

NICK BROWN, Agriculture Minister : "All I can say is that we don't respond to surveys."

BARONESS JAY, Leader of the Lords: "We don't take part in surveys."

MO MOWLAM, Cabinet Co-ordinator: Could not be contacted. Has admitted dabbling with drugs at Iowa State University.

CLARE SHORT, International Development Co-ordinator: Uncontactable. In the past has denied using cannabis

PAUL MURPHY, Welsh Secretary: "We don't respond to surveys."

GEOFF HOON, Defence Secretary: "We won't respond."

JOHN REID, Scottish Secretary: Could not be contacted. An aide said: "I couldn't tell you whether he has or hasn't off the top of my head."

STEPHEN BYERS, Trade Secretary: "We won't respond to questions of that nature."

ANN TAYLOR, Chief Whip: Unavailable. Has denied ever taking drugs.

MARGARET BECKETT, Commons leader: On holiday and uncontactable.

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