Nick Clegg in 'not very liberal, actually' shocker!

So Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales, has published a 30 page report advocating an end to drug prohibition. It builds on his experience, the experience of medical, police, social and scientific experts including the Royal Society, yet Nick Clegg thought it went too far.

Apparently he's "not persuaded that full legalisation is the way forward but what is necessary is that a more logical and evidence-based approach is needed" - hang on! ..we've had 3 reports now suggesting a logical evidence-based, which would be legalisation and regulation.

...perhaps he's waiting for some other approach that is logical, and evidence-based but somehow maintains the status quo of prohibition - perhaps rejig the classification system a bit. God forbid the liberal democrats should fail to sit on the fence on a major issue, even if it's the definition of liberalism. Some of the commenters on the guardian article today about the party are right - the lib dems aren't a socially liberal party after all.

To be honest, with the 2nd leadership election in 2 years, a total lack of socially liberal policies and a total inability to get a social liberal and social democratic message accross to the public and media I might as well join the Green Party - they might not elected either but at least they still have their principles!

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Jonny Wright
Did you consider the possibility that Nick Clegg is a genuine liberal, but doesn't want to commit political suicide? On a point of principle, people should be able to put whatever substances they like in their own bodies, and the law should only step in if drug-taking causes tangible harm to others. But I imagine a radical announcement on decriminalising all joydrugs would go down exceptionally badly, be reported in a sensational way by the press, and actually seriously hamper the party's ability to get a strong message across. You have to be practical and realistic, as well as just principled.
liberal provocateur
I don't see how we're getting a message accross at all - I think people said the same thing about opposing the war in iraq, in fact, when we stand up and don't chicken out, we do better in the polls.

Call, me crazy - but how about we give the public the chance to choose instead of giving them a third option that's barely discernable from the others??
Jock
Yeah - I had just written a piece on this response at twenty five past six when there was a flurry of activity and I decided to withdraw it before it was picked up by the aggregator.

But I agree largely with what you say. I think a better formulation of words could have signalled what Jonny is reading into it. It was clearly a rejection of the main thrust of Brunstrom's report.

Interesting that Brunstrom's police authority have endorsed it too today. I can't imagine they're all trendy tokers and pillheads on the North Wales Police Authority!
liberal provocateur
I notice the BBC and most of the media totally fail to mention this report, just days after repeating the APOC 'news' about complacent parents, I don't know why this kind of thing surprises me anymore.
Tristan Mills
I agree with both you and Jonny.

We are not a fully liberal party, something which I consistently complain about. Drugs should be legal, we shouldn't have voted for the anti-smoking legislation, certainly not in the form it takes.

It would however be political suicide to come out and say drugs should be legalised as a party leader. No matter how right the position is, it would be so easy for the gutter press and the opposition to attack us on it.

We live in illiberal times, for a party to succeed some topics appear to be off limits unfortunately (I would love to be proven wrong though)
liberal provocateur
How do we know "it would be political suicide" ? The same could easily have been said about green taxes, etc. In fact there is no evidence that this is the case at all.

There have been several opportunities this year to make a move, when the media actually talked about reports backing legalisation, and every chance was ignored either through lack of interest or lack of backbone.

If we had a decent party leader or minister they could kick the media's arse - we have the scientific backing - the Royal Society report, the numbers, the police, even ffs.

I don't believe we do live in illiberal times, I think most of the public are sick of the Nanny state, and want the police to focus on things like muggers, car theives, etc.
Jock
I do not see how it would be political suicide - what could be more enticing than an end to 80% of property crime, getting organised crime and its consequences out of our inner cities in large measure, and so on?

It needs someone with the cahoneys to promote it positively, rather than, as ACPO said yesterday a "counsel of despair". At 11% in the polls and 20% agreeing with Brunstrom even in sleepy north Wales's local paper (where need we be reminded they were against alcohol sales on a Sunday till not so long ago), I'd rather we were supported by that other 9% of more liberal people than floundering around trying to grab at votes falling through the fingers of the statist bully parties.

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