Nitrous oxide to be banned under plans to clamp down on anti-social behaviour
Nitrous oxide is set to be banned under government plans to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove made the announcement this morning on the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme.
“Antisocial behaviour can ruin lives,” he said.
Confirming the ban on laughing gas, Mr Gove said: “I think anyone who has the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little silver canisters, which are examples of people not only spoiling public spaces but taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological effect and one that contributes to antisocial behaviour overall.”
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Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is the second most commonly used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in England after cannabis and there are concerns about health problems caused by its usage.
An investigation by Sky News revealed there had been a spike in hospital admissions caused by people using the party drug.
The decision announced today goes further than the recommendations of a review commissioned by the Home Office, which stopped short of recommending a ban after examining the dangers of the substance.
The independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was asked by the Home Office in 2021 to provide advice on whether to make possession of nitrous oxide a crime.
The ACMD concluded that the sanctions of offences under the act would be disproportionate with the level of harm associated with the substance, and that such control could create “significant burdens” for legitimate uses of the substance.
But Mr Gove said that ministers were ultimately responsible for making decisions, adding: ” We believe collectively that it is absolutely vital that we deal with this scourge.”
The Cabinet minister confirmed that the ban would be issued under the Misuse of Drugs Act 197 but did not know which class – A, B or C – the drug would fall under.
“We can’t have a situation, we mustn’t have a situation where our drugs, our public spaces become drug taking arenas and that is why we need to do crackdown on new manifestations of drug taking.
“These laughing gas canisters are an increasing scourge, and one that has been reported to me as a constituency MP.”
‘Hypocrisy’ given Gove’s history of cocaine
Mr Gove’s campaign to be Tory leader in 2019 faltered after he admitted publicly he has taken cocaine “on several occasions” in the past.
Sophy Ridge asked: “Are you really going to give people a criminal record for a 30-second high from laughing gas?”
Mr Gove initially avoided the question but then replied: “We need to deal with the scourge [of nitrous oxide].”
“It’s absolutely right we uphold the law in this case,” he added.
When asked again if the plans were hypocritical, given some MPs have been known to take drugs, including himself, he said: “No… because I’ve learned.”
He continued: “I’ve learned it’s a mistake, it’s worse than a mistake to regard drug taking as somehow acceptable.”
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Laughing gas on sale illegally
Cleaning up anti-social behaviour
The move is part of a pack of measures designed to curb anti-social behaviour, which is set to be a key issue in the run-up to the next general election.
People convicted of anti-social behaviour will be ordered to repair the damage they have caused within two days of being told their punishment, under new plans.
Where possible, low-level offenders will be cleaning up the mess they created but if this is not possible – if it has already been cleaned up, for example – they will be given other ways to help their community.
This could include picking up litter, washing police cars or volunteering in shops.
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The scheme will be piloted in 10 areas before a rollout across England and Wales next year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce on Monday.
Labour’s shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell backed the plans to ban laughing gas, telling Sophy Ridge: “I think we want to see it banned as well because I think it does cause a huge amount of littering of disruption and of anti-social behaviour challenges as well.”
She said anti-social behaviour was “probably the number one issue” her constituents in Manchester raised with her on the doorstep.
“They feel that they don’t have the police on the beat that they can turn to,” she said, adding that Labour would bring in an extra 13,000 neighbourhood police officers if it wins power.
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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