"This is ludicrous when we’re on the point of changing the law. It’s even worse when the UK has its highest prison population ever. The criminal justice system is under huge pressure, yet we’re being heavy-handed on victimless crime”, said Jenny Jones, Green Deputy Mayor.
"The law is in urgent need of reform. Putting someone in jail for doing something that has manifestly caused no-one any harm is ridiculous”, declared Darren Johnson, the Green Party’s candidate for London Mayor.
Shane Collins is widely regarded as a strong advocate of liberalisation of Britain’s drugs policy. The Green Party believes that the Home Secretary should be following the lead of forward-thinking Brian Paddick, Lambeth’s ex-borough police commander.
As borough commander, Paddick attracted controversy and huge local support for his unorthodox solutions to tackling crime in one of the UK’s toughest areas. A Mori poll showed that 83 per cent of Lambeth residents supported his scheme. The report also revealed that 1,350 hours of police time were saved, which were re-directed towards tackling hard drugs.
Shane stood for the Green Party in Vauxhall in the 2001 General Election, where he polled 4.45% of the vote. He is currently in Brixton prison.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. On Monday 28 July, Greens joined other cannabis campaigners at a rally outside the Home Office at 2.30pm to call on the Home Secretary David Blunkett to reclassify the drug.