Jim Murphy’s no dope – but did he try sniffing glue?
NICOLA STURGEON and two of her political rivals have admitted they have previously dabbled with drugs.
The First Minister, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie told students they had smoked cannabis in the past.
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy dodged the question by saying that glue sniffing “was the thing” in the Glasgow housing scheme where he used to live.
He went on to say he could not remember if he, too, had abused solvents but a spokesman later insisted he had not.
The politicians made their confessions when asked about their own drugs experience at a debate organised by the Glasgow University Politics Society. It was chaired by the political editor of Radio Clyde and held at Glasgow University’s Queen Margaret Union.
Ms Sturgeon said: “I think I am actually on record as making an admission on this – once, probably, possibly at this university, but not in this Union I have to say – but it made me awfully sick, so I didn’t do it again.”
When the same question was asked of Mr Rennie, he answered: “Yes... in my youthful days,” a response that brought cheers and laughter from the audience.
Mr Murphy, who was brought up in Arden, south Glasgow, said: “In the housing scheme where I lived glue sniffing was the thing.
“It was a dreadful, harmful thing that was in that community at the time.”
In the housing scheme where I lived glue sniffing was the thing
Asked if she had used cannabis, Ms Davidson answered: “I went to Buckhaven High School.
"What do you think?”
But when pressed for a more direct answer, she added: “I’m with Nicola – once or twice.
"It made me really sick.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman yesterday issued a statement saying: “Just to be clear, Mr Murphy has never taken drugs.
“The point he was making at the Glasgow University debate was that when he was growing up drugs weren’t as widespread and that the harmful thing for many people back then was glue sniffing.
“For the record that’s not something Mr Murphy has tried either.”
Shortly before the Holyrood elections in 2007, half the SNP’s then shadow cabinet admittedhaving tried cannabis.
They said at the time that they did not believe trying cannabis at a young age should count against serving politicians.
