Green Party's Zack Polanski Pushes Drug Legalisation, Clashes with Labour in PMQs

Zack Polanski, the deputy leader of the UK's Green Party, has thrust the issue of drug legalisation to the forefront of political debate, directly challenging the Labour government's stance. During Prime Minister's Questions, Polanski argued for a fundamental shift in national drug policy, advocating for the legalisation and regulation of currently illicit substances alongside alcohol.

Polanski's central argument is that the current prohibitionist model has failed, fuelling organised crime, endangering users with unsafe products, and overcrowding prisons without addressing root causes. He proposes a public health-centred approach, emphasising harm reduction, safe consumption, and treating addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal one. This policy forms a key part of the Green Party's platform, positioning them as offering a clear alternative to the more cautious positions of the major parties.

The intervention sparked a sharp exchange with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who firmly rejected the call for legalisation. The Prime Minister's response underscored the significant political divide on the issue, with the government maintaining a focus on law enforcement and cracking down on drug-related crime. This public clash highlights the Greens' strategy of using their parliamentary platform to push controversial and distinctive policies, differentiating themselves from Labour and attempting to capture voters dissatisfied with the status quo.

While legalisation remains a minority position in Westminster, Polanski's advocacy ensures the topic stays in public discourse. It frames the debate around evidence from other countries that have adopted similar reforms and challenges politicians to consider whether decades of the "war on drugs" have been effective.