Number 10 lobby briefing on cannabis, US immigration policy and Brexit
2 min read
Here is a summary of this morning's briefing for lobby journalists by the Prime Minister's official spokesman.
CANNABIS
Downing Street has today hit back at an article by Lord Hague, in which he called for the decriminalisation of cannabis.
The former Tory leader wrote in the Telegraph that the war against the drug had been “comprehensively and irreversibly lost" and called for the law to be changed.
But the Prime Minister’s spokesman insisted that the Government’s position would remain the same.
The spokesman said: “The harmful effects of cannabis are well known and there are no plans to legalise it.”
US IMMIGRATION POLICY
Responding to reports emerging from the US of child immigrants being separated from their families and detained in large warehouses, the spokesman outlined the UK’s own “humane” approach.
“I would point you to the UK’s own immigration policy. It does not apply these measures and we do not intend to do so.
"The welfare and safeguarding of children is at the heart of our immigration policy. We do not separate child asylum seekers or refugees from their families,” he said.
“We believe that we have a humane system."
The spokesman added: “Our own position is guided by the refugee convention and the European Convention on human rights. That is what we adhere to, but obviously I can’t speak for other countries.”
GRIEVE AMENDMENT
The spokesman confirmed that the Government would not back an amendment, tabled by Tory backbencher Dominic Grieve and passed by the Lords yesterday, on a meaningful vote for Parliament on the final Brexit deal.
The spokesman said it would instead table an alternative amendment, which it hoped would pass in the Commons tomorrow.
He said: “We cannot accept the amendment on a meaningful vote agreed in the Lords. Agreeing to amendable motions would allow parliament to direct the Government’s approach to exiting the EU, binding the Prime Minister’s hands and making it harder for the Prime Minister’s hands and making it harder to secure a good deal for the UK.
“It also does not meet the reasonable tests set out last week by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for exiting the European Union and any new amendment must respect the referendum result and cannot undermine the negotiations or undermine the constitutional role of Parliament and Government.
“Our original amendment struck the right balance between respecting the tests set out by the Government as well as delivering on the aims of Dominic Grieve’s own amendment. That is why we will be retabling our original amendment today and looking overturn the Lord’s decision tomorrow.”
