Labour is embroiled in an embarrassing split over an MSP’s claims the UK leadership will not stand in the way of “safe” drug consumption rooms in Scotland.
Speaking to The Stooshie podcast this week, MSP Paul Sweeney said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is “content” with an approach of managing addiction as a public health issue north of the border.
Mr Sweeney said he consulted shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper over his Holyrood member’s Bill, which would pave the way for overdose prevention centres in Scotland.
He claimed there was “no opposition to what we’re proposing”.
I’ve consulted the leadership of the UK Labour Party on this, I’ve consulted our shadow home secretary on this, and they’re content with what we’re proposing.
– Paul Sweeney MSP
However, we can reveal party bosses in London have ignored correspondence from their Scottish counterparts for months – and Ms Cooper still refuses to set out her position on the life-saving facilities.
A Scottish Labour source said the shambles is “incredibly frustrating”.
The source suggested leaders avoided choosing a stance because they fear it will be seized on by senior Tories at Westminster as evidence of “weakness” on drugs.
An SNP MSP described the party’s position as “frankly bizarre”.
Appearing on DC Thomson’s Scottish politics podcast, Mr Sweeney said: “I’ve consulted the leadership of the UK Labour Party on this, I’ve consulted our shadow home secretary on this, and they’re content with what we’re proposing.”
‘No opposition’
Asked if bosses are open to safe consumption facilities, the MSP said: “Well, they’re certainly content with what we’re doing from a devolved perspective.
“I don’t know what their proposal is for England. I haven’t asked that question.
“But I certainly know that from a Scottish perspective, having written to Yvette Cooper, there was no opposition to what we’re proposing.”
We can reveal Mr Sweeney held a meeting with Scottish Labour health spokesperson Claire Baker late last year to get the green light on pursuing his Bill and was given the backing of the party in Scotland.
Correspondence was sent to Yvette Cooper early this year but after receiving no response for several months, it was decided Mr Sweeney should push on under the assumption there is no objection to his plan.
However, just hours after the Stooshie episode went live – and despite being asked for comment before it did – Ms Cooper’s office insisted Mr Sweeney’s Bill “is not a proposal we have looked at or been involved in in any way”.
Despite being asked repeatedly by us, Ms Cooper refused to set out her position on overdose prevention centres.
A spokeswoman for Ms Cooper would only say: “There’s clearly a question about why drug deaths are so much higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK – and clear that the SNP cuts to drug treatment programmes have made this worse.”
Labour stance branded ‘bizarre’
Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said international evidence backs “beyond doubt” the benefits of supervised overdose prevention sites.
He insisted the centres “clearly have support across the political spectrum in Scotland”.
“I saw their benefits firsthand when I visited one of these facilities saving lives in Paris,” Mr FitzPatrick said.
“It’s frankly bizarre to see the UK Labour party have a more draconian policy than the Scottish Conservatives on this issue, and it’s for Scottish Labour to explain their confusion on this.
“But the real issue is how we can get these vital facilities established to help save lives.”
Mr FitzPatrick left his position as public health minister in December 2020 over Scotland’s harrowing drug deaths record.
Since then, new SNP drug policy minister Angela Constance confirmed work is at an advanced stage to set up facilities “within the limits of the current law”.
What is Labour’s position?
Scottish Labour was criticised ahead of last year’s Holyrood election for leaving drug decriminalisation out of their manifesto, despite adopting it as an official policy five months earlier.
It came after UK leader Sir Keir repeatedly refused to back any relaxation of drug laws and said Tory policy on the issue are “roughly right”.
Speaking at the time, Glasgow-based activist Peter Krykant – whose work helped influence Mr Sweeney’s Bill – said the cautious approach had exposed Scottish Labour “as a regional office”.
James Nicholls, CEO of Transform Drugs Policy Foundation said Scottish Labour appeared to have been affected by “political calculation” in London.
Mr Sweeney was approached for comment.