BLAIR BACKS CABINET MINISTER OVER POT INCIDENT

LONDON (Reuters) Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Labor government faced
acute embarrassment Wednesday after the 17yearold son of an unnamed
cabinet minister was arrested for selling cannabis.

The case was revealed in the Daily Mirror tabloid newspaper, whose reporter
Dawn Alford said she had bought the drug from the youth in a London public
house.

The newspaper then told the minister, who confronted the son and went with
him to a police station Monday where he was arrested and then released on
bail.

Blair's government has followed an ultrahard line on drugs. It said a
campaign by the liberal Independent Sunday newspaper to have cannabis
legalized was irresponsible.

The Mirror normally slavish loyal to the sevenmonthold Labor
government splashed its story over five pages. Alford said she went to
the pub after a tipoff and then paid $16.70 for a small packet of cannabis
resin.

Blair's official spokesman told reporters: "The prime minister has spoken
to the cabinet minister concerned and fully supports the parent's action."

The statement appeared to leave open the possibility that the minister
involved might have to quit. The boy was not named since defendants under
18 remain anonymous until formally charged.

The prime minister, who has three preteenage children, spoke to his
unnamed colleague about the incident Monday by telephone, officials said.

Government lawyers will now decide if the minister's son will face charges.
British law lays down a maximum sentence of 14 years jail for supplying
cannabis but offenders are normally fined if the quantity is small.

Several members of Blair's 22member cabinet, which includes five women,
have sons.

Copyright © 1997 Reuters Limited.