THE Home Affairs Committee report on drugs is really an appraisal of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
I FIRST joined the SNP in 1976 and, having campaigned for the party and candidates in numerous council, Holyrood, Westminster and European parliamentary elections, it is fair to say it has been a long – and at times exhausting – journey.
IN my opinion the possibility of running a humane basic income pilot without the buy-in of the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC does not exist.
HAVING read Dame Carol Black’s Review Of Drugs Part Two several times now and having listened to her present and answer questions on the report, I find myself increasingly frustrated. Not at Dame Carol Black but within myself. The inadequacies of the existing system are laid bare for all to see within the report.
IT was September 19, 2018, when I visited Jordi Cuixart, Jordi Sanchez and Raul Romeva in their cells in Lledoners prison.
THE appalling number of drug related deaths released today (1264) are a damning indictment of drug policies that have failed to address the problem for decades. These numbers are not because of an ageing cohort of drug users, they are not because of injecting cocaine, they are not because of new drugs or new mixes of drugs.
IF there was ever any doubt that Westminster is a relic of an empire that the sun set on a long time ago, the last year must have removed it.
THE Spanish Supreme Court has ruled that Quim Torra should be removed from his position as the democratically elected President of the Government of Catalonia. President Torra had served in this position since the 16th of May 2018. The court upheld the decision of a lower court that had found him guilty of disobedience. His alleged crime is that he did not remove banners and symbols from public buildings during last year’s general election campaign. The banners demanded “Freedom for political prisoners and exiles” and the symbols were the often used yellow ribbons synonymous with the release of prisoners around the world.
DURING the Covid-19 outbreak the UK and Scottish Governments have been trying to safeguard the citizens of the UK and its constituent parts. Initially physical health and wellbeing was to the fore. Washing our hands and practising safe distancing were advised. Cleanliness and isolation were the two main tools to stop the spread. It soon became apparent that too much isolation was going to lead to mental health problems and so digital social networking was encouraged and interaction from a safe d
