LABOUR politicians dodged a question over the politicisation of police during a fringe event on reviving Britain’s high streets on Tuesday.

Retired public health professional Bob Young told the panel during a Q&A that rank-and-file officers believed that the criminalisation of drugs was a “failed policy.”

He added that officers seeking promotion, beyond the rank of superintendent, would be overlooked if they avoided “toeing the party line” on treating illicit drug use as a criminal matter, rather than a public health issue.

Mr Young asked the panel, consisting of Merseyside PCC Emily Spurrell, Brighton and Hove council leader Bella Sankey and Sheffield City council leader Tom Hunt, for their views on the matter. 

However, they chose to answer other questions from the audience.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Young, who worked in the East London drug and alcohol action team, said: “We’ve got a long way to go before we can successfully promote the decriminalisation of drugs but we do need the political leadership to do it.”