A new body is needed to assess existing and alternative drugs policies, and could be partly funded by assets seized from dealers, campaigners have said.
The UK Drug Policy Commission said billions of pounds a year were spent tackling drug problems, "without always knowing what difference it makes".
The commission argues that much of the £3bn spent each year on tackling illicit drugs is wasted...
None bias political views for a new generation. Personal political opinions and commentary on topical British political news. My thorts are i-thorts... My politics are i-politics...
Monday 31 December 2012
i-thorts' i-Politics: Call for new drug policy research body
Sunday 30 December 2012
i-thorts' i-Politics: Memo urges Lib Dems to criticise Tories
Lib Dems have been encouraged to criticise their Tory coalition partners as well as the Labour opposition.
In a leaked internal memo, senior Lib Dems were urged to spread the message that the Conservatives cannot be trusted to help build a fairer society ... the memo suggests voters should be reminded that the Tories wanted to "look after the super rich".
i-thorts' i-Politics: Prince Charles private meetings with eight ministers
Prince Charles has held private meetings with eight government ministers in the last 12 months, including Michael Gove, the education secretary, and Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury.
Details of these meetings with ministers are not disclosed, prompting calls for greater transparency.
This is the second time in only a few months that it has come to light that Charles is being secretive in his political dealings. Also see: « i-thorts' i-Views: Would Charles Be A Democratic Monarch? »
Friday 14 December 2012
i-thorts' i-Views:- Clegg calls for drugs law review
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has backed calls for a royal commission to consider decriminalising illegal drugs, despite opposition from David Cameron.
The PM has rejected the Home Affairs Select Committee's report highlighting Portugal's approach, where people found with drugs are not always prosecuted.
Tuesday 11 December 2012
i-thorts' i-Views: Should Drugs and Prostitution Be Illegal?
That's the question that any politician should ask; but not many ever do.
The law of this land is drugs are bad keep away from them (but alcohol and tobacco is okay so long as tax is being paid on them) and prostitution is immoral therefore bad; so both are equally illegal.
The thing is 'immoral' isn't the same as dangerous and 'bad' isn't the same as harmful.
Anything taken to excess is 'bad for you' - from sugar and fat to alcohol and cigarettes - but that doesn't necessarily stop their sale to the public.
Is it immoral to sell ones body for money? It's worst to sell it to feed a drug habit (for something that could be anything masquerading as the 'real deal').
Guardian says: Three arrested in Libor manipulation investigation
Three men arrested as part of Serious Fraud Office and City of London police arrest investigation into manipulation of Libor.
Three British men were arrested on Tuesday as part of the Serious Fraud Office investigation into the manipulation of Libor.
The SFO and City of London police arrested three men aged 33, 41 and 47 after searching a house in Surrey and two properties in Essex...
Wednesday 5 December 2012
Sky News says:- Autumn Statement - Osborne Tightens The Screw
More cuts and no miracle cures will be the Chancellor's message as he confronts the country's problems in his mini-budget.
Chancellor George Osborne will today warn there are no "miracle cures" as he admits more drastic action is needed to balance Britain's books...
Monday 3 December 2012
Guardian says: George Osborne prepares for climbdown on missed fiscal targets
Chancellor must admit he cannot meet second target of reducing debt as proportion of national income by end of parliament.
George Osborne has prepared the ground for a damaging admission in Wednesday's autumn statement that lower than expected growth means he will breach the second of his fiscal targets, on reducing debt as a proportion of national income by the end of the parliament.
Gaurdian says: Cameron to tell press proprietors "get your act together on regulation"
PM to put pressure on owners as Miliband says Cameron has 'one last chance to stand up for victims and show leadership'
David Cameron is to order press proprietors to get their act together on independent regulation within months, as Ed Milband warns he will give the prime minister until Christmas to show he is serious about cross-party talks...
Sunday 2 December 2012
An Extra Year Of Austerity Foreseen For Britain
Alongside the atement on Wednesday, the Chancellor's Autumn Statement on Wednesday, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR - the independent fiscal watchdog) are set to tell George Osborne that the Government's efforts to reduce borrowing are in danger.
The OBR are expected to warn this week that the Chancellor looks set to miss his target for bringing down Britain's debt mountain; raising the prospect of more austerity measures.
Unless the Chancellor puts forward further hardship measures, Economists - alarmed by just how difficult it seems for the debt-ratio to begin decreasing in the foretold timescale of 2014-15 and 2015-16 (which Mr Osborne set to reduce GDP) - warn that Mr Osborne's goal for reductions to the
gross domestic product were totally underestimated. This means the Chancellor's duel debt-reducing targets are more at risk because of the low growth-estimates and their knock-on impact on the Treasury's revenues.
"When the OBR was established in 2010 I said that the evidence of its success would come when a Chancellor of the Exchequer wished it had never been set up. I think that moment is approaching..."
As if things aren't bad enough! The outcome being an extra year of hardship is foreseen for British citizens .
Saturday 1 December 2012
Nick Clegg is changing the way the government works
...the Deputy Prime Minister has this week effected another big change to the way Westminster government works. He has sent party members an email today explaining why he felt it was necessary to make a separate statement to David Cameron in the Commons on Thursday...
...the Deputy Prime Minister does have a point. There isn’t yet an agreed government position, and from the Lib Dems’ point of view, the worst thing Clegg could do would be to sit on the front bench with a frozen face listening to the Prime Minister giving a statement that he is reported to disagree with...
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