To reduce the use of drugs in Westminster’s heart, sniffer dogs may be allowed to enter Parliament.
After an investigation revealed that cocaine was found at eleven of the 12 locations tested, senior MPs have begun to consider the idea.
Sunday Times found evidence of illegal drug usage in bathrooms near Boris Johnson’s private office and Priti Patel, the Home Secretary.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker, said that he will notify the police following the discovery of toilets inside the Palace Building itself and adjacent Portcullis Houses where MPs keep their offices.
Tory MP Charles Walker, who chairs the Commons Administration Committee, told the paper: ‘The House of Commons has a long history of using sniffer dogs to detect explosives. It may be that we now need to broaden the range of sniffer dogs . . . to include those which can detect drugs.’
It comes as the Prime Minister unveils a new clampdown on ‘lifestyle’ drug use, threatening to confiscate the passports and driving licences of middle class users.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (pictured with a police dog last year) said he would notify police after the discovery in toilets in the Palace building itself and the adjoining Portcullis House, where many MPs have their offices.
A bathroom close to the private offices of Boris Johnson and Home secretary Priti Patel were among those where signs of illegal drug use were discovered by the Sunday Times.
Charles Walker (Tory MP and Chair of the Commons Administration Committee) told the paper that the House of Commons uses sniffer dogs for explosive detection since its inception. Perhaps we need to increase the variety of sniffer dog options. . . to include people who can detect drugs.
Only those who possess a parliamentary card or are permitted to enter the building with visitors with permission must be allowed to access the areas that were tested for drug use.
Today, the Prime Minister blasted people who think they are committing a victimless crime by dabbling on weekends and relying only on Class A as a lifestyle choice.
As he claimed he was going to introduce measures that “interfere in their lives”, he also accused them of complicity in drug-related crimes in the UK.
Launching a 10-year blitz on county lines drugs gangs he said narcotics were causing ‘misery’ and rejected the idea of liberalising the law.
The Prime Minister blasted people who believed they were only dabbling in weekend crime and were therefore committing a victimless crime by their ‘lifestyle’ Class A use.
Resources will be available in a dual-track program to assist addicts with the withdrawal from heroin, crack, and other hard drugs.
On Sunday, Mr Johnson spoke to The Sun and distinguished between social drug users and addicts.
I don’t intend to stereotype them but it’s lifestyle drugs. He said that these people believe it is a crime without victims.
‘It isn’t. It is littered by victims of the past. They will be penalized in new ways. We will consider removing driving licenses and passports from them.