The apparent softening of what was previously Scottish Labour’s bold support for decriminalising drug use is extremely disappointing.
The party had backed attempts to have a safe consumption room piloted in Glasgow as part of the attempt to turn around Scotland’s shocking drug death figures.
But Scottish Labour’s national recovery plan – effectively its manifesto – only backs diversion from prosecution to treatment in response to the acknowledged public health emergency.
Although the party insists policy is set in Scotland, this cautious approach chimes with UK leader Sir Keir Starmer’s legalistic fear of radical politics and radical solutions to the challenges faced north of the Border.
Earlier this year, Starmer said safe consumption rooms were not the answer.
He broadly supports the Tory position and says its drug policy is “roughly right”.
That overly cautious attitude to the appalling health problem many Scottish communities face does not cut it.
The Daily Record has campaigned to decriminalise drug use since 2019 because we recognise a radical approach to the country’s appalling drug-death stats is needed.
Starmer and UK Labour’s approach is not fit for purpose when it comes to Scotland.
It is designed to curry favour with Middle England by taking a Tory-lite stance on the issue.
It’s a position that is out of touch with the needs of this country – and it should not be the policy that Scottish Labour takes into the next parliament.
Fear & loathing
Livingston captain Marvin Bartley’s fear that a footballer could take his own life because of online abuse is alarming.
His impassioned plea in the Daily Record today for something to be done must be heeded by those in a position to make changes.
This weekend, a social media boycott will be observed by stars and governing bodies in sport.
While it’s a worthwhile gesture, it’s unlikely the keyboard warriors and hate merchants will pay much attention.
Most of them have little more to their lives than tweeting abuse at people in the public eye.
Social media companies, governments and the police have to do much more to tackle abusers who feel they can act with impunity.
It is unacceptable that anyone should be attacked so much for playing football that they would contemplate taking their own life.
Bartley’s powerful testimony to the extent of abuse he and others receive is a wake-up call.
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