After California visit, Labour refuses to back decriminalize marijuana

After visiting a cannabis dispensary in California, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced last week that he would set up a commission with the task of decriminalizing cannabis in the United Kingdom. The first-ever London Drugs Commission will be chaired by ex-justice secretary Lord Charlie Falconer QC.

Shortly after, the Labour Party of the UK made it clear that it does not support Khan's initiative to change the law regarding drugs. The national government would set drug policy as a result of Labour and would not be devolved to mayors. Home Secretary Priti Patel said Khan's efforts were pointless as he has no power to legalize drugs. Labour MP Edward Miliband jumped into the fray, because they ruin communities, tear apart families and destroy lives. Miliband is currently the Shadow Secretary of State of Climate Change and Net Zero.

Miliband said that Labour is not convinced of the need to decriminalize marijuana.

Miliband is known to support legalization of cannabis, but it seems that he was speaking for his party when he confirmed that Labour is not behind Khan's plan.

We welcome Sadiq looking at these issues because this debate should continue. Miliband said this is something that needs to be looked at in the past.

Labour's shadow cabinet position, which is a position I support as a member of the shadow cabinet, is that we are not yet convinced of the case for decriminalisation, but we ll look at what Lord Faconer's commission has to say. Other shadow cabinet members, such as Wes Streeting and Yvette Cooper, agree that this marijuana decriminalization could make the party look like it's being soft on crime.

Labour source told HuffPost UK that Yvette is furious about it. The official party line is not the official one, and people are rolling their eyes.