Govt advisor quits in protest at Nutt sacking
Sunday, 1 November 2009 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
An advisor to the government on drugs policy has quit in protest at the decision to sack Professor David Nutt.
Dr Les King quit the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, just days after the head of the council was fired by the home secretary.
He said Alan Johnson had denied the professor's freedom of expression.
The resignation is in line with predictions from Professor Nutt that there would be walk outs from the council after he was sacked by email by Mr Johnson.
The home secretary decided it was time for Professor Nutt to go after he once again said ecstasy was safer than horseriding and that it was a mistake to reclassify cannabis as Class B.
"I'm not going to say just how many I think might resign but there is an extremely angry feeling among most council members," Dr King said.
"Amongst the scientists, I think a number will resign. It doesn't need the whole council to resign for the thing to stop working."
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