ANTI-DOPE MOVE FAILS AFTER JOINT CONFESSION

Ann Widdecombe, the British shadow home secretary, yesterday was forced to
backtrack on her pledge of zero tolerance against cannabis users after seven
shadow cabinet members mocked the policy by admitting they had used the drug
in their youth.

In an extraordinary day of criticism from some of her most senior Tory
colleagues, Ms Widdecombe admitted she had erred in presenting her
much-maligned pledge to have no truck with drug users.

As what appears to be a battle between social liberals and authoritarians at
the top of the Conservative Party was being waged, Liberal Democrat leader
Charles Kennedy added his fuel to the fire by becoming the first party
leader to call for the decriminalisation of cannabis possession.

Ms Widdecombe's hand appeared forced as Sunday newspaper headlines revealed
that top Tories - including shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude - had
admitted smoking dope. She then experienced a public revolt within her party
to her ideas.

Peter Ainsworth, the shadow culture secretary, said her policy was
unrealistic and suggested it was unhelpful that she had launched it without
discussing it with the shadow cabinet.

Former prime minister John Major also called for a rethink, while
Conservative vice-chairman Steve Norris said it was a tall order to expect
the police to impose zero tolerance against a backdrop of falling police
numbers. He also accepted that most young voters would disagree with Ms
Widdecombe.