WHAT THEY SAID: POLITICIANS ON CANNABIS

Labour

Tony Blair: "The only thing my father really drummed into me was never
to take drugs. And anyway, I was doing so many other things that I never
needed to."

John Reid, former Home Secretary, after a "minuscule" amount of
cannabis resin was found in his Scottish home last year: "I have no
idea where it came from, or when. There is absolutely no suggestion
that this in any way involves me or members of my family and both I
and Strathclyde Police regard the matter as closed."

Peter Hain, Work and Pensions Secretary: "I remember, when I was 19,
someone trying to stick a spliff or whatever you call them into my
mouth, angry that I wasn't smoking it."

Yvette Cooper, the minister for housing: "I did try cannabis while at
university, like a lot of students, and it is something that I have
left behind."

Charles Clarke, the former Home Secretary: "I was asked if I had ever
taken drugs and I replied I had taken it a couple of times in my late
teens. It is important to tell the truth."

Mo Mowlam, the late Northern Ireland Secretary: "I tried marijuana,
didn't like it particularly and, unlike President Clinton, I did inhale.
But it wasn't part of my life."

Conservative

David Cameron, on revelations that he was disciplined for smoking
cannabis at Eton: "I'm not issuing a denial, what I am saying is that I
think it's an important principle that politicians are entitled to a
private past."

Francis Maude, former party chairman: "It was hard to go through
Cambridge in the 70s without doing it a few times."

Oliver Letwin, chairman of policy review: "Some friends put dope in my
pipe. It had no effect on me but I was extremely angry."

David Willetts, the shadow innovation secretary: "I had two puffs and
didn't like it."

Peter Ainsworth, the shadow environment secretary: "I didn't want to
live my life without discovering what it was like."

Tim Yeo, the MP for South Suffolk: "I was offered it on occasion and
enjoyed it. I think it can be a much more pleasant experience than
having too much to drink. I found it agreeable."

Lord Lamont, the former chancellor: "I have not smoked cannabis. But I
did eat a tiny bit of cannabis cake and all I can say is I enjoyed the
cake but that is all."