Eighth Tory admits cannabis use

Tim Yeo: Reportedly enjoyed smoking cannabis

The Conservatives face fresh questioning over their policy on drugs after an eighth shadow cabinet minister admitted using cannabis.

Agriculture spokesman Tim Yeo said he had used cannabis infrequently "a long way in the past".

"I was offered it on occasion and enjoyed it," he said in The Times newspaper: "I think it can be a much pleasanter experience than having too much to drink."

On Monday, Tory leader William Hague backed away from shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe's plans of introducing £100 fines for people caught possessing even the smallest amount of cannabis.

Mr Yeo's revelations follow those of his party colleagues Peter Ainsworth, Francis Maude, Lord Strathclyde Bernard Jenkin, David Willets, Archie Norman and Oliver Letwin.

Mr Hague said his party remained committed to waging a "new offensive" on drugs if they won the next election and that the proposals were "still on the table".

However, he admitted that the plans needed "further consultation, discussion and debate".

Owning up to cannabis

Tim Yeo

Peter Ainsworth,

Francis Maude,

Lord Strathclyde

Bernard Jenkin

David Willets

Archie Norman

Oliver Letwin

He said: "We realise there are concerns about some of the proposals we have made and so we are going to go to the police, to the medical profession, to drug rehabilitation workers, to teachers and to parents around the country and have this honest debate about drugs."

But Mr Hague insisted he still supported his beleaguered shadow home secretary, saying: "I have 150% confidence in Ann Widdecombe - she will be a great crime fighting home secretary."

The zero tolerance policy has come under a barrage of criticism from senior police officers and drugs czar Keith Hellawell described it as "unrealistic and impractical".

Cannabis seven backed

Mr Hague's comments came in a series of TV interviews following the admission by seven members of the shadow cabinet that they had smoked cannabis in their youth.

This led to claims that the confessions were part of a plot to undermine Miss Widdecombe.

Mr Hague backed the seven - who included shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude - saying he had told them to give honest answers to a newspaper survey and they had been right to do so.

"I would have been appalled if they had done anything else," Mr Hague said.

Reports in The Times suggested that Tory chief whip James Arbuthnot had been behind a co-ordinated "outing" of shadow cabinet members as former cannabis smokers.

The speech went down well - at first

The report suggested that Mr Arbuthnot contacted each of the seven, telling them to respond "honestly" to the questions of the Mail on Sunday.

When asked whether he could deny the newspaper's claims Mr Arbuthnot made no response.

Even before Mr Hague's intervention, Miss Widdecombe appeared to be trying to soften her line.

She was quoted in The Guardian as saying the use of the phrase with reference to drugs was "unfortunate".

"I should have made it clear that zero tolerance does not mean you come down on every single instance of possession.

"It means you challenge every instance, but the police have got to have the right to decide whether they do go forward."

Labour stance unchanged

Home Office Minister Paul Boateng said: "On this issue William Hague's opportunism isn't much help to him since he can't decide which direction the bandwagon is heading.

"His opportunism and weakness in the face of a shadow cabinet revolt is clear to see. They are still unable to agree a joint policy days after Widdecombe's announcement."