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| Version 12 | Version 13 |
|---|---|
| Johnson 'lost confidence' in Nutt | Johnson 'lost confidence' in Nutt |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Home Secretary Alan Johnson has told MPs he sacked his drugs adviser because he "lost confidence" in Professor David Nutt's ability to do the job. | |
| Prof Nutt was removed after using a lecture to say that cannabis was less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. | |
| Mr Johnson, who is being grilled by MPs at the moment, said his proper role had been "to advise rather than criticise" the government on drug classification. | |
| Colleagues of Prof Nutt say they have "serious concerns" about the decision. | Colleagues of Prof Nutt say they have "serious concerns" about the decision. |
| Two fellow members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs have already resigned, with others hinting they could do the same. | |
| 'Unseemly row' | |
| Mr Johnson said he would meet them "shortly" to discuss the situation. | |
| In a statement to the Commons, he said the reason for sacking Mr Johnson was not "the work of the council but because of his failure to recognise that... his role is to advise rather than criticise". | |
| He added that he had "lost confidence in the professor's ability to be my principle adviser on drugs". | |
| The Conservatives said they agreed with Mr Johnson's decision to sack Prof Nutt but criticised the "unseemly row" over Prof Nutt's comments. | The Conservatives said they agreed with Mr Johnson's decision to sack Prof Nutt but criticised the "unseemly row" over Prof Nutt's comments. |
| Prof Nutt recently said cannabis had been upgraded to Class B - against the council's advice - for political reasons. | |
| Earlier in the year he had suggested that taking ecstasy was no more dangerous than horse riding. | |
| A letter sent by the advisory council to Mr Johnson says that while not all remaining 28 members have been reached "it is clear that a majority of the council have serious concerns" about Prof Nutt's dismissal and the future of the advisory council. | |
| It says the case has "brought to the fore wider and pre-existing concerns amongst members about the role and treatment of the council". | |
| It added: "For some members these matters are of such seriousness as to raise the question whether they can, in good conscience, continue on the council." |