Source: Daily Telegraph
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Shot boy's MP wants debate on drug laws
By Robert Shrimsley, Chief Political Correspondent

THE Government came under growing pressure yesterday to consider legalising
drugs after the Labour MP for the town where a fiveyearold boy was shot
dead last week called for a Royal Commission on the issue.

Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South East, made his call after the killing of
Dillon Hull, which police believe was drugrelated. He said he was
supported by a number of new Labour MPs and allied himself with Liberal
Democrat calls for a Royal Commission to examine decriminalising drugs.

Mr Iddon's comments follow calls from Paul Flynn, the veteran Labour MP for
Newport West, who has asked ministers to consider decriminalising some
drugs. He said the Government had "backedoff" taking a hardheaded look at
drugs, reminding voters of the way Clare Short, now Secretary of State for
International Development, had been slapped down for raising the idea
before the election.

"Clare Short used the word 'decriminalisation' and got into hot water for
doing so," he said. "But there are a number of people on the Labour benches
now who want an honest, open discussion about the drugs problem. The word
'decriminalisation' has got to be part of that discussion, in my opinion,"
he said on BBC Radio. He stressed that he had not made up his mind whether
drugs should be decriminalised but said the Government should have the
courage to look at the issue.

"We need a Royal Commission on drugs. We need to hear the evidence. We need
to get into the whole debate about decriminalisation. We do need an honest,
straightforward discussion, because as long as there is money in the sale
of drugs and prohibited substances, of course we will have crime and we
will have tragedies like the one that occurred in Bolton this week."

A Labour source said there was no prospect of Mr Iddon securing a Royal
Commission. "The Labour position is against legalisation of drugs. That
remains the case."

Mr Iddon visited the street where Dillon was shot and it emerged that the
boy's brother, born three weeks ago, had a heroin addiction.

"Everyone in Bolton knows where the drug dealers are, said Mr Iddon. "We
have streets in Bolton that have been turned into barren places because
nobody will accept a council house on that estate close to a wellknown
drug dealer."

Nigel Evans, Tory cochairman of the allparty Drugs MisUse Group, said
legalising drugs would fill cemeteries with people who experimented with
drugs thinking they were endorsed by the Government.

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