Les Bonner

The UK’s former chief drugs adviser has accused Gordon Brown of reclassifying cannabis for political reasons.

Prof David Nutt also forecast that there will be more resignations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs after he was persuaded to resign as its head.

The professor said Mr Brown had already made up his mind to reclassify cannabis as a Class B drug, despite scientific evidence.

The home secretary, Alan Johnson said that he had lost confidence in Prof Nutt, and accused him of lobbying for a change of policy.

Earlier this week, said Prof Nutt in a lecture at King’s College, London,that smoking cannabis carries a relatively small risk of psychotic illness and that it is actually less harmful than cigatettes or alcohol, but on Friday he was forced to resign after by the Home Secretary Alan Johnson who said his comments had undermined the scientific independence of the council.

Prof Nutt said to the BBC that the government has ignored advice on cannabis  on the whim of the prime minister.

Professor Nutt said:

“Until Gordon Brown took office there has never been a recommendation about drug classification from the council that has been rejected by government,” 

“Gordon Brown comes into office and soon after that he starts saying absurd things like cannabis is lethal… it has to be a Class B drug. He has made his mind up.

“We went back, we looked at the evidence, we said, ‘No, no, there is no extra evidence of harm, it’s still a Class C drug.’

“He said, ‘Tough, it’s going to be Class B.’”

Prof Nutt said drug laws should not be influenced “petty party politics” and made a comparison with interest rates, which are set by the Bank of England not the government, and said that drug classification should be done by an independent committee.

“There’s no point in having drug laws that are meaningless and arbitrary just because politicians find it useful and expedient occasionally to come down hard on drugs.

“That’s undermining the whole purpose of the drugs laws.”

Prof Nutt said his council was “very, very upset by the attitude the prime minister took over cannabis” and one of his colleagues had already told him he would resign.

 He added:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the them step down - maybe all of them will”

Former government chief scientific adviser Sir David King said:

“We are witnessing a collision between science and politics - there may be significant fall-out

“I think that the government has lacked courage in backing David’s committee’s advice.  I think it’s a lack of courage from government that is a big issue here.”

Danny Shaw, from the BBC said Prof Nutt had accused the government of using the classification system as a tool to send out an anti-drugs message, instead of rating drugs by actual risk.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is simply not independent if its chair can be sacked for telling the Government what it does not want to hear.”

Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate, Phil Willis and Chairman of the Commons science and technology committee, said: “It is disturbing if an independent scientist should be removed for reporting sound scientific advice.”

Liberal Democrat Shadow Science Minister, Evan Harris, added: “All the gains we thought we had made from the BSE enquiry have been thrown away by this act of political spite and Neanderthal wrong-headedness.

“This is the behaviour of a Minister whose judgement is impaired by the need to feed the tabloid addiction to a hard-line drugs policy.”

Harry Shapiro, director of communications at DrugScope, said:

 ”It would be naive not to expect those tasked with giving advice on drug policy to generate some controversy and debate.

“The home secretary’s decision to force the resignation of the chair of an independent advisory body is an extremely serious and concerning development and raises serious questions about the means by which drug policy is informed and kept under review.”

Phil Willis MP, Chairman of the committee, said:

“It is disturbing if an independent scientist should be removed for reporting sound scientific advice.”

Commenting on the news that Professor Nutt has been sacked from the Government’s independent advisory committee on drugs, Chris Huhne said:

“The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is simply not independent if its chair can be sacked for telling the Government what it does not want to hear.

“Ministers have constantly ignored the advice of experts when it comes to drug policies and pressed ahead with their own prejudices.

“If ministers care so little for independent scientific advice, they should save public money by sacking the entire group of experts and instead appointing a committee of tabloid editors.”

 According to the Mail Online, Alistair Darling admitted yesterday that taxes on airline flights which are being raised tomorrow, are to help to pay for bailling out the banks.

Mr Darling explained that the higher air passenger duty is needed to help raise cash to help the nation’s finances.

The surcharge on flights, which will add up to £340 to the costs of a family of four flying long haul,was originally said to be for environmental reasons.

Airlines have warned that the tax will cause the loss of thousands of jobs and will not help to reduce global warming.

Speaking to a group of journalists in Newcastle, Mr Darling said:

“I am quite blunt about it, we need to raise money to pay for some of the things we have done.

“If unemployment goes up there is a cost obviously to the family, there is also a cost in increased benefits.  Northern Rock has cost a lot of money.

“What we are doing is putting a pound on to your average ticket, which about three quarters of people travel on and you consider the cost of an air ticket, I don’t think a pound is that unreasonable.

“In the North East, we have spent billions on a bank for very good reasons.

“We could have stood back and said “There you are, tough luck”. We didn’t because that was the wrong approach.”

Michelle Di Leo, who is a director of the lobbying group Flying Matters, said Mr Darling had ‘let the cat out of the bag on this flying stealth tax’.

She added:

“Just when the economy needs all the help it can get, he is imposing a tax which undermines job creation in the tourism sector, prices ordinary families out of flying and all for absolutely no environmental benefit.”

 ”When people realise how much this stealth tax will cost them and how much damage it is doing to the economy, any politician who commits to scrapping it will get an electoral boost.” 

The cost of air tickets will increase tomorrow when the first of two increases in air passenger duty will take effect and will  hit long-haul passengers travelling in business and first class sections.

British Airways said the combined effect of the two increases would mean the cost of a flight for a family of four who travel to Australia after November 1 2010 will increase by at least £340.

Tomorrow’s increase will see duty for short-haul economy flights to Europe rise from £10 to £11, but on longer journeys the cost will increase by £30.

November next year will see economy class passengers on the shortest flights having to pay an extra £12, and premium class passengers on flights longer than 6,000 miles will see an increase from £110  in November 2009, to £170.

Silla Maizey, BA’s customer services director, said:

“These huge tax hikes are very bad news for holidaymakers - and completely unjustified.

“The Government says the tax is environmental, but its own figures show that aviation already meets its environmental costs without any increase in passenger duty.’”

The new Cromwell Primary Care Centre in Cromwell Road, Grimsby will be opening on  November 2.

The chief executive North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus,  Jane Lewington said:

“We are delighted to be entering the final stages of our 10-year estates strategy to transform primary care premises in the area. This new centre is unique in that it provides a permanent base for the breast screening service as well as community dental services, which will be available to all residents of the area.” 

The centre has been built on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus (CTP) by Lunn Healthcare Facilities Ltd.  

Carl Wright, director of Lunn Healthcare Facilities Ltd, said:

 “Every aspect of the medical centre has been carefully planned to ensure that patients have a comforting experience.  Patient care is our number one priority and we have worked in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus to ensure that the local community has access to a dedicated, purpose-built medical centre that meets its needs.”   

Cromwell Road Medical Centre is one of nine new centres in the area which have been developed as part of the CTP’s estates strategy. 

The development will house four GP practices, with parking, treatment and clinical facilities that include breast screening, community nursing teams and community dental services, which are being relocated to the new centre and are in addition to the Cleethorpes facilities.  

The new numbers for the four practices that will be moving into the centre are:  

Dr R Kumar (relocating from Wybers Wood)                                     01472 255600
Dr NP Singh (relocating from Dudley Street)                                     01472 255610
Dr KS Koonar (branch surgery relocating from Dudley Street)       01472 255620
Drs Saha & De (relocating from Dudley Street)                                 01472 344989 

The chlamydia screening programme for North East Lincolnshire, (COAST), has received praise from Whitehall for the way it  has been engaging with young people in the area and involving them in the chlamydia screening programme. 

COAST recently featured in the cabinet office newsletter, which is distributed across all government departments both in Whitehall and other government regions.  

The newsletter showcases services which carry out pioneering work across public services, typically using innovative techniques and approaches to understand and respond to the needs of local people.

The newsletter featured COAST as an example of best practice in involving young people in the design and marketing of services.  COAST was the only NHS service featured in the newsletter. 

The praise from Whitehall follows the successful “P 4 Pants” campaign in which young people were givena pair of specially designed underwear with a sexual health message woven into the waistband in exchange for a urine sample.  In the first two weeks of the campaign, over 700 tests were performed.  

Paul Watson, COAST programme manager, said:

“We are really pleased to have been highlighted by the cabinet office as an area of outstanding innovation.  We have taken great care to ensure that the programme reflects the involvement of young people in all aspects of the work we do.

“The team really deserve this accolade as they work tirelessly to ensure that the care we provide is of the highest standard.  We have certainly learned that, as far as young people are concerned, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

“Without firm commitments from European countries, today’s deal risks becoming yet another empty promise,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary.

Commenting on today’s EU climate change deal, Simon Hughes said:

“Although progress has been made, the climate change deal announced today is not ambitious or generous enough. Without firm commitments from European countries, today’s deal risks becoming yet another empty promise.
 
“The big question is not whether some of the world’s richest countries can agree amongst themselves in Brussels, but whether developing countries think that this is a serious offer that reflects our historic responsibilities.”

“The closer we get to 2012 the fewer of the benefits we were promised seem to be coming about,” said Don Foster, Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary.

Commenting on today’s report by Capital Economics, which reveals the recession has wiped £3bn off the estimated Olympic ‘dividend’, Don Foster said:

“This is disappointing news.  The closer we get to 2012 the fewer of the benefits we were promised seem to be coming about.

“The Government pledged that the Olympics would improve sports participation and boost our economy, yet it is failing to get kids active and now we hear that £3bn of the benefits have been slashed by the recession.

“The 2012 Olympics must not be allowed to become a damp squib.  The Government needs to get more children exercising and increase grassroots participation in sport so that we can secure the legacy we were promised. They also need to do all they can to increase tourism both during and after the Games.”

National Youth Work Week 2009 will take place from 1-7 November and this year focuses on two key qualities that youth workers have always helped impart and which young people need in their future endeavours – resilience and resourcefulness.

Young people need to be able to bounce back from life’s disappointments and setbacks and to carry on in pursuit of their aspirations. Also of great importance is encouraging young people to dig deep inside to find and use resources that help respond to life’s opportunities and risks.

Youth work plays an important part in the lives and development of young people throughout North East Lincolnshire and this week provides an opportunity to celebrate successes.

Every year Youth Work Week is used by a wide variety of youth organisations to celebrate the work they do. This year, North East Lincolnshire Council is highlighting the wealth of good work done throughout the borough that helps young people to deal with the difficulties life can place in their way and the support they receive  to carry on to enjoy their lives and meet their potential.

Success stories include Joff Westerman and Damien Tominey who have been nominated for an Outstanding Contribution Award at this year’s prestigious Making a Difference in Yorkshire and Humber Awards following their work with the Modern Apprentice Team, part of the Sports Lincs Initiative.

The Young Carer’s Project also has helped a great number of young people throughout the borough, an example is Beth, a young carer from North East Lincolnshire. A young career is a young person aged 8 - 19 who has a significant caring role for someone in their household who has a long  term illness or disability. Beth has been supporting her mum, who has severe mobility issues, for the past five years. 

Beth first joined the Young Carers Project in March 2009. At this time Beth was receiving support from the NEETS (Not In Education, Employment or Training) Project. Prior to this Beth had not been in formal education since year nine when she was withdrawn by her family due to issues around bullying and dyslexia.

With the help and support Beth received from the Project she is now working towards the bronze ASDAN, an environmental ASDAN award and the bronze Youth Achievement Award.

These two examples serve to highlight the importance of youth work and the positive effect it is having on the young people of North East Lincolnshire.

Cllr Tony McCabe, portfolio holder for children and family services, said: “Youth Work Week provides a fantastic opportunity for the excellent work of the youth service to be recognised. North East Lincolnshire Council works hard to improve opportunities and outcomes for all young people in the borough. It is important to acknowledge the achievement of these young people who have made positive decisions to improve their lives”.

“With only 1,000 days left until London 2012, the Government is running out of time to secure the legacy they promised,” said Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary.

Commenting on the announcement that there will be 64 major sporting events in the UK in the 1,000 days until the Olympics begin, Don Foster said:

“While it is fantastic that so many major events will be staged in the UK, we must not lose sight of grassroots sports and culture.
 
“Despite the intention to use 2012 as a catalyst to boost sports and cultural participation, there is little evidence on the ground that this is happening.  Over half of school children are not  experiencing enough culture, and two-thirds are missing out on sport. Adult participation in sport and culture has stagnated.
 
“With only 1,000 days left until London 2012, the Government is running out of time to secure the legacy they promised.”

It has been suggested recentlythat Tony Blair should become the first  President of the European Union, and there has been a lot of comment in the media both for and against this idea.

I am not an admirer of Mr Blair, and consider his reign as Prime Minister to be disastrous for the United Kingdom.  I fail to understand how anyone could seriously put him forward for this position .

This morning I read an excellent article in  ”the Daily Mail, by Jeff Randall entitled “Tony ‘the twister’ Blair now wants a free ride on the Euro Express ” which sums up some of the reasons why Mr Blair should not be given the job.  Mr Randall sums it up far better than I ever could, and I would suggest that it should be read by anyone with an interest in the subject.