Parliament > Party Policies

UK Political Parties: Policies on drugs

updated 08.04.08

Note: Transform is not affiliated to any political party. The information and below is confined to party drug policy and related crime issues.

• Labour
• Conservatives
• Liberal Democrats
• Green Party
• Scottish National Party
• Plaid Cymru

Labour

www.labour.org.uk

The Party of Government. The Labour Party released its new drug strategy for the next ten years in February. The 2008-2018 strategy, 'Drugs:Protecting families and communities' can be read in full and in summary on their drug strategy website.

The Conservatives

www.conservatives.com

The Conservatives are currently revising their drug policy. They have established a Social Justice Policy Group which includes an Addictions Working Group which covers drugs. In 2007 the Social Justice Policy Group published a report entitled Breakthrough Britain which which deals with 'ending the costs of social breakdown' and is intended to give policy recommendations to the Conservative party.

The Liberal Democrats

www.libdems.org.uk

The Liberal Democrats have a policy briefing paper, titled Honesty, Realism, Responsibility Proposals for the Reform of Drugs Law which proposes ways for dealing with current drugs problems. It became official policy in 2002. The full policy document does not seem to be available on the Lib Dem website so Transform have provided a copy on its website: Honesty, Realism, Responsibility Proposals for the Reform of Drugs Law

The Green Party

www.greenparty.org.uk

The Green Party's Manifesto for a Sustainable Society includes a section on drugs. They also have a Drugs Group which "has been campaigning for several years to have Government policies regarding the use of drugs which more befit the 21st century".

Scottish National Party

www.snp.org

The SNP's manifesto includes a Heath & Wellbeing section which outlines their plan to create "a national Drugs Commission to develop and agree a long term national strategy backed up by a more robust evidence base". The SNP is the ruling party in the Scottish Parliament.

Plaid Cymru

http://www.plaidcymru.org/

Plaid Cymru's manifesto includes a Social Justice section which outlines their policies on drugs and alcohol. They call for 'changes in the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1971 with radical policies introduced', a greater emphasis on rehabilitation and counselling, the links between poverty and drug and alcohol absue to acknowledged and more local facilities for young people. They are the second largest party in the Welsh Assembly.