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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Bercow Attacks Zero Tolerance On Drugs
The Times
Thursday 09 Nov 2000 Website: http://www.the-times.co.uk/ Author: Melissa Kite, Political Correspondent BERCOW ATTACKS 'ZERO TOLERANCE' ON DRUGS A FIERCE dispute divided the Tory home affairs team last night as John Bercow, a junior spokesman, attacked Ann Widdecombe's policy on drugs. In an outburst which infuriated senior Tories, Mr Bercow said a "vast clampdown" on cannabis was unrealistic and that the police had no interest in launching an all-out war on soft drugs. The rebuke was the latest for Miss Widdecombe, the Shadow Home Secretary, since she declared zero tolerance on soft drugs at the Conservative Party conference last month. Her announcement, which was later watered down, prompted a backlash within the party. But the intervention of Mr Bercow, a newly-appointed home affairs spokesman, was described by sources close to Miss Widdecombe last night as "particularly unhelpful". In an interview with New Statesman magazine, Mr Bercow said: "My concern is far more with attacking hard drugs. The idea that the police should raid every home in the land looking for dope-smokers is transparently absurd. "Personal use has effectively been decriminalised. A vast clampdown is unrealistic. In this country we police by consent. The police are not interested in launching an all-out war on soft drugs. As far as I can see alcohol and violence are closely related. It is not at all clear to me that cannabis and violence are." Mr Bercow, 37, a strong ally of Michael Portillo, has criticised Miss Widdecombe in the past. A former member of the far-right Monday Club who called for repatriation of immigrants in his youth, Mr Bercow said he now supported Mr Portillo's drive to make the Tories more inclusive. A party spokesman said last night that Mr Bercow was fully supportive of the policy on soft drugs set out by William Hague after the conference.
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