Only Conservatives support Alan Johnson's decision |

Monday 2nd November 2009 | 14:26

Only Conservatives support Alan Johnson's decision

Amongst MPs, journalists and other political insiders only Conservative-leaning panellists tend to approve of Alan Johnson's decision to sack drugs advisor David Nutt. There is also majority backing for downgrading the classification of cannabis.

A clear majority within the political community believe that it was the wrong decision for Alan Johnson to ask Professor David Nutt to stand down, according to the latest PoliticsHome insider research. Right-leaning insiders tend to approve, but by a narrow margin.

The Phi100 panel – comprising MPs, political journalists, party strategists and think tank directors – were asked their opinion on the classification of cannabis and ecstasy and on whether it was the right decision to dismiss Professor Nutt from his advisory role.

Overall, fifty eight per cent of insiders believed that the Home Secretary was wrong to effectively dismiss Nutt. This was the view taken by insiders across the political spectrum, with the exception of right-leaning panellists who supported the decision by a margin of fifty three to thirty three.

Time to downgrade Cannabis

Just over a third of the panel (thirty six per cent) believed that the current classification of cannabis as a class B drug was correct. A smaller proportion than this (twenty nine per cent) thought it should be a class C drug. Twenty two per cent advocate a complete decriminalisation of cannabis, meaning that a fifty one per cent majority of insiders believe the current classification of cannabis is too stringent.

The panel was evenly split on whether ecstasy should be classified as class A, class B or class C. Sixteen per cent of the panel believed it should be decriminalised completely.

Johnson ‘should have kept his cool’

A non-aligned media panellist said: ‘Johnson was rightly irritated by Nutt but he should have kept his cool.’

Going against the consensus view, a thought leader on the panel said: ‘Once a relationship like that has broken down, then the advisor has got to go.’

A right-leaning panellist, however, commented: ‘Advisors are there to give advice; politicians need to base their policies on more than just evidence; if Alan Johnson can't make that argument that's his problem.’

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