Pubdate: Sat, 05 Nov 2005
Source: Independent  (UK)
Copyright: 2005 Independent Newspapers Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209
Author: Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

CAMERON ON DEFENSIVE OVER CALL TO DOWNGRADE ECSTASY

David Cameron was last night on the defensive over a fresh drugs row
as the race for the Tory leadership was thrown wide open by blows to
his campaign on BBC1's Question Time.

Mr Cameron, 39, is widely thought to have allowed David Davis back
into the Tory leadership contest after his rival won a points victory
in their head-to-head debate on the programme on Thursday night.

He sounded rattled yesterday when he claimed he did not care "what
other people think" after the Home Office dismissed as
"irresponsible" his remarks on the programme in support of ecstasy
being downgraded from its current status as a class A drug.

It is the second time Mr Cameron has become embroiled in a row over
drugs having earlier refused to say whether he tried drugs as a
student and the issue threatened to engulf his campaign. Last night
his supporters were calculating what, if any, damage the re-emergence
of the issue would have as more than 250,000 ballot forms were sent
out to Tory members for the leadership election.

Mr Cameron said he was standing by remarks about downgrading ecstasy
during his head-to-head clash with Mr Davis, 57. "What people want is
a realistic and sensible policy that gets to the bottom of the drugs'
problem," he said yesterday while seeking votes from Conservative
Party members in Winchester.

He added he wanted to see ex-drug addicts going into schools to talk
about the dangers of drugs and also to tell pupils the difference
between substances such as heroin and ecstasy.

Mr Cameron said this was a "tough" drugs policy. He added: "Frankly I
do not care what other people think about it."

Earlier there appeared to be an attempt by his aides to distance Mr
Cameron from his comments on the programme which could do his
leadership campaign harm among traditional Tory supporters, especially
as they came on the tenth anniversary of the death of Leah Betts from
ecstasy. His spokesman confirmed the issue would be examined if he
became leader but added: "It would be a matter for the party to decide."

Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, made it clear he had no intention
of lowering the classification of ecstasy. He said: "Ecstasy can and
does kill unpredictably and there is no such thing as a safe dose."

Mr Cameron's support for reclassifying the drug stemmed from a term on
the cross-party Commons select committee on home affairs, which
recommended that the Home Office should change the law on ecstasy and
cannabis. Its recommendations were rejected by the Home Office and
attacked by then Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith.

Members of the Cameron team insisted his stance would not damage his
prospects because he had been consistent. Ken Clarke, the former
Chancellor, who still carries support in the country, said he was
inclined to support Mr Cameron but he admitted in a GMTV interview to
be screened tomorrow "he is a bit of an unknown quantity, even to me
to a certain extent".

During Thursday night's programme, Mr Cameron said: "The most
important thing we thought was to make sure that the drug
classifications make sense to young people and were credible. And I
had a concern that if you put ecstasy and heroin in the same
classification, people just don't take it seriously."

Asked specifically about downgrading ecstasy, he said: "Yes. I think
that is right, looking at the science."

Mr Davis, the shadow Home Secretary disagreed, saying: "Ecstasy has
been responsible for deaths - Leah Betts most obviously, but others as
well."

David Cameron was last night on the defensive over a fresh drugs row
as the race for the Tory leadership was thrown wide open by blows to
his campaign on BBC1's Question Time.

Mr Cameron, 39, is widely thought to have allowed David Davis back
into the Tory leadership contest after his rival won a points victory
in their head-to-head debate on the programme on Thursday night.

He sounded rattled yesterday when he claimed he did not care "what
other people think" after the Home Office dismissed as
"irresponsible" his remarks on the programme in support of ecstasy
being downgraded from its current status as a class A drug.

It is the second time Mr Cameron has become embroiled in a row over
drugs having earlier refused to say whether he tried drugs as a
student and the issue threatened to engulf his campaign. Last night
his supporters were calculating what, if any, damage the re-emergence
of the issue would have as more than 250,000 ballot forms were sent
out to Tory members for the leadership election.

Mr Cameron said he was standing by remarks about downgrading ecstasy
during his head-to-head clash with Mr Davis, 57. "What people want is
a realistic and sensible policy that gets to the bottom of the drugs'
problem," he said yesterday while seeking votes from Conservative
Party members in Winchester.

He added he wanted to see ex-drug addicts going into schools to talk
about the dangers of drugs and also to tell pupils the difference
between substances such as heroin and ecstasy.

Mr Cameron said this was a "tough" drugs policy. He added: "Frankly I
do not care what other people think about it."

Earlier there appeared to be an attempt by his aides to distance Mr
Cameron from his comments on the programme which could do his
leadership campaign harm among traditional Tory supporters, especially
as they came on the tenth anniversary of the death of Leah Betts from
ecstasy. His spokesman confirmed the issue would be examined if he
became leader but added: "It would be a matter for the party to
decide." Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, made it clear he had no
intention of lowering the classification of ecstasy. He said: "Ecstasy
can and does kill unpredictably and there is no such thing as a safe
dose."

Mr Cameron's support for reclassifying the drug stemmed from a term on
the cross-party Commons select committee on home affairs, which
recommended that the Home Office should change the law on ecstasy and
cannabis. Its recommendations were rejected by the Home Office and
attacked by then Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith.

Members of the Cameron team insisted his stance would not damage his
prospects because he had been consistent. Ken Clarke, the former
Chancellor, who still carries support in the country, said he was
inclined to support Mr Cameron but he admitted in a GMTV interview to
be screened tomorrow "he is a bit of an unknown quantity, even to me
to a certain extent".

During Thursday night's programme, Mr Cameron said: "The most
important thing we thought was to make sure that the drug
classifications make sense to young people and were credible. And I
had a concern that if you put ecstasy and heroin in the same
classification, people just don't take it seriously."

Asked specifically about downgrading ecstasy, he said: "Yes. I think
that is right, looking at the science."

Mr Davis, the shadow Home Secretary disagreed, saying: "Ecstasy has
been responsible for deaths - Leah Betts most obviously, but others as
well." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake