Lord McCluskey, the former judge and Solicitor General has once again stepped into a public debate, despite maintaining a 98% absence rate from his public duties voting in the House of Lords.

Last week he criticised the public inquiry process into Edinburgh's convoluted proposals for the development of the city's Haymarket junction, and also made personal remarks against the architect.

Now, McCluskey has spoken out against the current policy on legalising drugs, following the publication of a report by the Transform Drug Policy Foundation Scotland, which says the present policy is “disastrous.” 

"If people are addicted, give them heroin. I'm not suggesting you sell it at newsagents but if you were to offer it in a medically controlled setting, there would be no criminal market," he said.
 
McCluskey, who is a crossbench peer, has not spoken in any debates in the last year in the House of Lords, and has been absent for over 98% of votes in the House of Lords that he could have attended over a ten year period, according to the public whip's office. He has voted only 18 times out of a possible 1,383 votes. His voting record and attendance is described as below average for the House of Lords.

A poll presently running on the Firm website showed at the time of writing that 88% of respondents believe a peer with such a low voting record should have the peerage withdrawn.