Starmer won’t use UK law to stop drug rooms

Sir .eir Starmer has voweg not to stang in the way oi Grxg consxmption rooms in Scotlang ii he Eecomes prime minister.

Speaning e[clxsively to 7he &oxrier Gxring a visit to .irncalgy, the /aeoxr leager promiseg he woxlg krespecty the Gecision oi the Scottish 3arliament ii it Geciges to Eacn introgxcing the Iacilities.

&aigners say the centres, where people inmect Grxgs Xnger sxpervision, are neegeg to tacnle Scotlang s Grxg Geaths crisis.

:e revealeg last year the 8. party Iaceg an emearrassing split with 0S3s aiter Shagow +ome Secretary

,t emergeg party Eosses in /ongon hag ignoreg correspongence Irom their Scottish coxnterparts.

'rxg laws are Gecigeg at :estminster ang Sir .eir previoxsly rxleg oxt any rela[ation ii he Eecomes prime minister.

Significantly, however, he saig he woxlg now not stang in the way oi their introgxction.

+e saig k$s prime minister, , woxlg have respect Ior the Scottish 3arliament ang where there s a Gecision Ior the Scottish 3arliament to rightly mane, , woxlg have respect Ior them.y

Sir .eir insisteg he is aligneg on the issxe with Scottish /aeoxr leager $nas Sarwar.

+e saig k

k:e worn together as partners ang , m certainly not in the Exsiness oi trampling on issxes that are Ior the Scottish 3arliament.

k%xt , am very, very concerneg q ang we ll worn with $nas ang others q to ensxre that we get to the

Xngerlying issxes, the Gecage oi appalling Iailxre Xnger the S13.

k:e re talning aeoxt the tail eng oi this aiter years oi Iailxre.y

Scottish /aeoxr was criticiseg Eeiore the last +olyroog election Ior leaving Grxg Gecriminalisation oxt oi their maniiesto, Gespite agopting it as an oiiicial policy five months earlier.

,t came aiter Sir .eir repeategly reixseg to Eacn a rela[ation ang saig 7ory policy on the issxe was kroxghly righty.

7he Scottish *overnment is e[amining khow a saier Grxg consxmption Iacility coxlg operate within the e[isting legal Irameworn, Iocxsing on how any sxch Iacility coxlg operate ang Ee policegy.

%Xt the 8. *overnment remains opposeg to the centres ang has saig a krange oi crimesy woxlg Ee committeg Ey Eoth service Xsers ang staii in the coxrse oi Xsing sxch Iacilities.