William Hague’s drugs policy was left in fresh disarray yesterday as an eighth member of his Shadow Cabinet admitted to having smoked — and enjoyed — cannabis and his former deputy prepared to call for the drug to be legalised

Mr Hague tried to calm internal party turmoil by virtually burying the zero tolerance policy outlined by Ann Widdecombe at the party conference.

But soon afterwards Tim Yeo, the Shadow Agriculture Minister, disclosed to The Times his occasional youthful pot-smoking. Mr Yeo followed Francis Maude, Archie Norman and five other Shadow Cabinet ministers in admitting that he had used cannabis. But he was the first senior politician of any party to confess to having enjoyed it.

"I was offered it on occasion and enjoyed it. I think it can be a much pleasanter experience than having too much to drink." Mr Yeo stressed that it had happened infrequently "a long way in the past" on social occasions. But unlike other politicians who have claimed they did not enjoy the experience, he said: "I don’t share the view that it was disagreeable. I found it agreeable."

There will be further embarrassment for the Tories shortly when Peter Lilley, the former deputy leader, publishes a pamphlet setting out the case for legalising cannabis, which is directly against party policy. He will explain why he believes existing laws banning the drug are unworkable.

Other senior figures are arguing that drugs policy should be a matter of conscience and the subject of free votes, as on abortion and capital punishment.

Mr Hague took charge of the drugs furore after five days of discomfort and humiliation for Ann Widdecombe, the Shadow Home Secretary, whose plan for £100 minimum spot fines for anyone in possession of an illegal drug was announced at the party conference last week with the leader’s approval.

She began climbing down over the weekend by suggesting that the fines was just one option for the police, but by the time Mr Hague returned to Central Office yesterday he was well aware that the retreat would have to go further.

Most Shadow Cabinet members, who were not consulted over the Widdecombe initiative, had privately made plain that the policy could not stand as it was and that it had had a disastrous impact on an otherwise successful conference.

Miss Widdecombe’s claims that she had consulted other members, including Michael Portillo, on the substance of the policy were met with flat denials. The Shadow Chancellor — now the only member of the Shadow Cabinet to refuse to say whether he has ever tried drugs — was reported to have been consulted on the financial effect of some of Miss Widdecombe’s policies, but not on the £100 fines idea.

Yesterday, after talking to Miss Widdecombe and other senior figures, Mr Hague acknowledged that there were "concerns" about the policy. He said: "The proposals we have made are on the table but they need further consultation, discussion and debate." Tory officials said that eventually the party would emerge with tougher policies against all drug users than was now the case.

But a Shadow Cabinet member said the lesson of the past few days was there had to be a distinction between hard and soft drugs. "If you try to blur it, you risk going backwards. Pursuing users of soft drugs just is not going to work."

Mr Hague, however, reiterated his faith in his home affairs spokeswoman, saying: "I have 150 per cent confidence in Ann Widdecombe: she will be a great crime-fighting Home Secretary."

The Shadow Cabinet was also ordered yesterday to stop giving interviews on drugs policy — an implied rebuke to Peter Ainsworth, the Shadow Culture Secretary, who on Sunday openly criticised Miss Widdecombe’s policy during a BBC interview.

Mr Hague had said earlier that he had told his colleagues to be frank about past drug use, and it was that which prompted Mr Yeo to speak last night.

He also called for consideration to be given to the medicinal benefits of cannabis. He was persuaded there were possible merits when his son Jonathan was suffering from cancer seven years ago and was advised that cannabis would help to relieve stress while he underwent treatment.

Miss Widdecombe had a 60-minute meeting with Mr Hague at which she protested at what she regards as a concerted attempt by some of her most senior colleagues to undermine her. A friend said: "All I know is that she feels betrayed by some colleagues and, knowing Ann as I do, William would have been left in no doubt about her feelings."

The friend added: "It’s inconceivable that Ann wouldn’t have complained about being briefed against when she met William. The policy may have unravelled but she did not deserve that. We suspect Portillo's people did this to damage her and destroy the policy."