The Sacking of Professor Nutt

 

The BBC reports that the UK’s former drugs advisor, Professor David Nutt, has criticised Gordon Brown for reclassifying cannabis, from a Class C to a Class B drug. This came after Professor Nutt was effectively sacked from his position on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs for publically criticising government policy.

“Until Gordon Brown took office there has never been a recommendation about drug classification from the council that has been rejected by government,” he said.

Translation: he made a decision we didn’t like, and we want to make those decisions ourselves.

He proposed that drug classifications should be set by an “independent committee”.

Translation: we don’t want pesky elected representatives making decisions.

The role of government scientific advisors is to provide scientific advice. The decisions, though, are made by elected politicians. And that is exactly as it should be.

Professor Nutt clearly strayed far into the political arena. As a scientific advisor, it was not his job to criticise the decisions made by our elected representatives.

One of the most sinister developments in our country over the last few years has been the weakening of our democratic system. The power of elected representatives has been declining, and the power of unelected people like Professor Nutt has been increasing. In so many areas, “independent” bodies now make decisions, without reference to politicians. The people who serve on those bodies have in many cases started to exhibit an overweening arrogance.

Our politicians are elected to represent us. They are accountable to us. Their advisors, as well as their civil servants, are there to provide advice, and to implement the policies made by government ministers. It is not for them to openly criticise those policies.

It was frankly not Professor Nutt’s business to publically second-guess the decisions that ministers make. Therefore, the government were 100% right to sack him.

If Professor Nutt wants to get into politics, he should become a politician. Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne said the decision to sack him was “disgraceful”. Come to think of it, Professor Nutt would probably make a perfect Liberal Democrat candidate, given that party’s history of being soft on drugs.