Parliament > Party Policies

UK Political Parties: Policies on drugs

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
• The Liberal Party
• Scottish National Party
• Plaid Cymru

Labour

www.labour.org.uk

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 Party of Government. In their 2010 Manifesto, the Conservatives outlined their intention to improve rehabilitation services for drug users and to introduce a system of temporary bans on new ‘legal highs’ that would be implemented while health issues are considered by independent experts.

The Conservatives have also 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 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"

The Liberal Party

http://www.liberal.org.uk

Liberals believe that the increase in drug related crime has at least in part been caused by the prohibitive attitude resulting from the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act.

Accordingly, the Liberal Party proposes:

1. the global repeal of legislation regarding the prohibition of drugs and its replacement with an effective strategy of legalisation, regulation and control,
2. the establishment of an independent multi-agency co-ordinating body to oversee policy development and implementation in relation to the supply and control of drugs;
3. taxation of drugs and redirection of criminal justice expenditure to education and treatment services;
4. the dissemination of accurate and truthful information to minimise substance-related harm to individuals and communities.

They believe that these measures will eliminate the criminal market place and cause a reduction in related crime and violence.

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.