PoliticsUK

Hon. Nicholas Fairchild-Grieves, MP
Member of Parliament for New Forest West

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Communities Must Be Protected From Drug Users

Rising drug use is causing a rise in related criminal activity, and makes communities unsafe. The Government's plan to introduce an easing of penalties against drug users will make that worse.

NEW FOREST - Conservative and Unionist Member of Parliament for New Forest West, Nicholas Fairchild-Grieves, spoke to press at his constituency office on Monday concerning the Government's proposed drugs policy. In his statement, he expressed his disappointment and concern with the policy, citing a desire to see punishment against drug users increase rather than be softened. He held a special surgery this week in which he heard concerns voiced by constituents about the policy, including that drug users would be boldened by the new lackadaisical sentencing options for what he called "bleeding heart magistrates to escape making the sound and reasonable pronouncement against people who endanger not only themselves but the moral fabric of our society-- whatever's left of it."


After the surgery, Fairchild-Grieves promised to oppose the bill in Parliament, stating that "the Government will attempt to make the case that the science on the matter is settled, that this will decrease the number of drug users, but they fail to acknowledge that the science is far from settled. Case studies in South Korea and Japan, for example, have shown that harsher sentences on drug users has dramatically led to a reduction in the number of users in that country, and has created a culture wherein drug use is unthinkable to respectable people. What's more is that this is a question of criminal justice: of rendering due punishment to those who do bad things. Those who use drugs choose to do so, despite the laws of the land which forbid it. Those people deserve punishment, and their societies deserve justice. This bill will make that more difficult."


The vocal backbencher confirmed that he had met personally with the Prime Minister, William Croft, but that the meeting did not end in a "manner satisfactory to myself or my constituents who are really concerned that their streets will be made less safe by the pursuit reckless and fashionable policy." He said he intends to vote against the bill unless it were "altered in such a way as to make it unrecognizable." With the Labour Party's Home Office spokesman having recently stated his opposition to the bill as being too soft on drug users, the bill is unlikely to pass Parliament. "I would encourage the Prime Minister to do the reasonable thing: know when he's beat, and withdraw the bill, lest he be embarrassed by a Parliamentary defeat on the Government's second bill."

ENDS