I think this could be best summed up in that simple phrase “Hope Springs Eternal”
THREE years ago the toppling of a conservative Government in Germany led to a seminal moment for European cannabis – but there appears to be little chance of a repeat in the continent’s second most populous nation.
The UK General Election has seen the Labour Party return to power after 14 years with a stonking majority of over 170 seats.
During the years when it was out of office Labour had shifted markedly to the left under socialist Jeremy Corbyn. And, if he had been elected there was a fair chance he would have taken the UK down a similar path to Germany.
However, with centrist, former Labour premier Tony Blair pulling the strings of the new Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer this subsequent rightward shift looks set to leave little room for UK drugs policy reform.
Sir Kier has said he has ‘no intention’ of changing drug laws in the country, adding: “Other countries will take different approaches they traditionally have, but our approach is settled and not really a subject of great debate even within the Labour Party.”
Nevertheless, with over 200 of Labour’s 411 MPs in Parliament debutants there will be many back-benchers agitating for change.
Two of the parties who support UK drug reform have increased their presence in parliament with the Lib Dems now having 71 seats up from eight and the Greens up from one to four.
Senior Labour politicians such as London Mayor Sadiq Khan are keen to see reform of the cannabis laws. He has called for decriminalisation in the capital and established the London Drugs Commission.
And, after a visit to Canada in 2019 the new UK foreign Secretary David Lammy backed legalisation.
Mike Morgan-Giles, CEO of the UK Cannabis Industry Council (CIC), says this substantial change in the make-up of Parliament is an opportunity to identify like-minded fellow travellers amongst the new intake of MPs.
The industry currently has direct contact with sitting MPs through the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Hemp and CBD, and the CIC has established links with a number of MPs.
“The new government will want to get on top of its core priorities we will be looking to speak to the new ministerial team to look for opportunities to discuss measures which can help the sector grow,” he said.
Read the full op ed
