EX-MAYOR: MY 'HEROIN YEARS'

FORMER Carlisle mayor Colin Paisley, who twice fought for the Legalise
Cannabis Alliance, is quitting local politics to write his life story. The
self-confessed alcoholic and former heroin addict has scrapped plans to
stand for re-election to Carlisle City Council in May. Instead, he has
decided to work on his autobiography and take up a new role with
Workington-based Impact Housing Association.

Mr Paisley said: "I am an Impact Housing tenant and I've volunteered to
help with its management committee and newsletter team. "The other thing is
that I'm 66 next week and there has to come a time when you decide enough
is enough."

Mr Paisley, of Lister Court, Raffles, Carlisle, was a Labour councillor for
13 years. He was to have stood for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance in Belle
Vue this May after the Liberal Democrats rejected him as candidate for St
Aidan's. The intrigue behind that decision is likely to feature in the
first volume of his autobiography, The Political Years. The Heroin Years
will follow and a third volume on his early life is planned.

Mr Paisley said: "I've been working on and off on an autobiography. I've
done a synopsis and a draft, and I have a publisher. Now I'm ready to start
work." He is not giving up politics completely.

"I would like to stand as an Independent for the European Parliament next
year on a drugs-reform platform," Mr Paisley added. "I don't believe for a
moment that I would win a seat but I want to see how much interest there is
in drug-law reform.

Mr Paisley represented St Aidan's ward on Carlisle City Council until 1999,
serving as mayor in 1994/95.

He started his political life as a Communist, moved to Labour and then the
Liberals - the rump of the old Liberal Party that refused to merge with the
SDP to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988.

His interest in drugs issues prompted him to stand for the cross-party
Legalise Cannabis Alliance, polling 141 votes against top Tory Michael
Portillo in the Kensington and Chelsea by-election in 1999. He also stood
for the pro-cannabis group against sitting Carlisle MP Eric Martlew in the
2001 general election, polling 554 votes but still losing his deposit.