PUK Interview with Chris Bovey

Tonight sees the start of a series of interviews with PoliticsUK members.

Tonight's interview is with Chris Bovey.

Politics UK

PoliticsUK would like to welcome you to the first in a series of interviews with PoliticsUK users. Our first guest is Chris Bovey. I would personally like to thank Chris was being available at such short notice.

Ok First question:

What are your interests in politics?

Chris Bovey

My father was always a liberal, coming from the South West, it’s an area where liberal support was never decimated, although due to the unfair election system the Liberals always came second to the Tories and didn’t win much, although that changed in 1997.

I used to be active in the youth wing of the Liberal Democrats, I was the youth representative for a couple of years on the executive committee of the Europe group of Liberals in the European Parliament. I later grew out of politics and became a cynic.

Politics UK

Do you believe that cannabis should be legal for all of just for medicinal reasons?

Chris Bovey

Well some would argue that Cannabis can never be legal or illegal, it is a plant. It is only our actions in regards to possessing and growing the plant that is unlawful. The whole debate is about us and our actions. The question I would ask is this, "How sad is it that people cannot grow a plant?" How sad is it that people can get arrested for growing a natural medicine?

Cannabis should be treated within the limits that are already in place by our society to regulate other psychoactive substances, such as alcohol or tobacco.

Politics UK

What do you believe that the economic benefits of legalising cannabis?

Chris Bovey

Since 1/3rd of all convictions are due to drugs offences, and the majority of those are cannabis offences, we would see huge savings in policing costs, court costs, legal aid, prison costs and probation costs, etc., The government would benefit from taxes in a similar way it currently does with alcohol and tobacco. It would also create jobs taking much of the supply away from the black market.

Politics UK

Why do you believe that cannabis use is still not legal?

Chris Bovey Because it is not possible to be a statesman and to argue against the current trajectory set by the United Nations and the European Union in matters of drug control. When it becomes possible to credibly suggest that we should legalise cannabis, because you will not be vilified in the press and on an international level, by the UN, but more significantly by the United States, then we will see a rapid change of thought among the two main parties.

Politics UK

What do you believe would be the negative effects that legal cannabis would have on the UK's society?

Chris Bovey

Most likely the same effects which cannabis has on our society now. The difference would be that many negative effects, such as crime, contamination, and criminal records for sick people, would either be mitigated or removed altogether.

Politics UK

When did you become aware of the Legalise cannabis campaign?

Chris Bovey

I had been a financial supporter of the old LCA for many years.

Politics UK

Were you involved in the changeover from LCC to CLEAR?

Chris Bovey

 No. I contacted Peter Reynolds afterwards offering to make a web site for free, which I did.

Politics UK

What do you believe are the achievements so far of CLEAR?

Chris Bovey

Hrrm, let me think ... give me a tic

Uniting cannabis activists who haven't spoken for years who are now united in their disdain for Peter Reynolds and their desire to expel him as leader.

Alienating the majority of Fleet Street by filing scores of futile PCC complaints.

Alienated the support of 17 MPS, UK charities Release, Transform, Drug Equality Action and Students For Sensible Drug Policy.

Promised a conference but cancelled it.

Prematurely and entirely inaccurately announced the decriminalisation of cannabis.

Provided free promotion of a corporate agenda for cannabis policy.

Spent a great deal of CLEAR donations on Peter Reynolds' personal travel expenses and phone bills.

Politics UK

You were on the CLEAR Exec committee. What were your roles?

Chris Bovey

Peter co-opted me on to the CLEAR Exec last year; I never particularly wanted to be on it. I was supposed to be Press Officer; I did them a few press releases, very few of which got into the media, probably because of Peter Reynolds alienating the press. Sadly, most of the duties of the all the CLEAR Exec would appear to be reigning in Peter Reynolds’ abusive behaviour and trying to stop him going public with some of his more stupid statements. I was very saddened to see my Facebook friends list keep going down, because of my association with CLEAR.

Politics UK

What’s your opinion of Peter Reynolds and how has your opinion changed in the last 12 months?

Chris Bovey

 My opinion of him 12 months ago was that he was breath of fresh air to the cannabis movement; my opinion of him now is he is a nasty racist homophobic bigoted bully.

Politics UK

Why did you stick by Peter Reynolds when he was accused of being an alleged racist and homophobe due to his blog entries?

Chris Bovey

That's a very hard question to answer; I could take the easy option and blame health issues at the time, which is partly true, but looking back on it I was in some kind of cult mentality and maybe even an element of Stockholm Syndrome. I dug my head into the sand and hoped it would all go away, since I had put a lot of time and money into CLEAR and believed in it. I had no idea about Peter's intolerant blogs, I thought that was excuse enough; I didn't even read them all.

Chris Bovey

I'm hoping I can rectify my bad judgement by doing all I can in my power to let people know about this right-wing lunatic and kick him off his self-appointed throne.

Politics UK

Do you regret standing by Peter Reynolds?

Chris Bovey

Oh boy that sounds terrible when you put it like that.

Chris Bovey

I did resign back in January but I was talked out of it on the promise that Peter Reynolds would call a new leadership election at the forthcoming CLEAR conference due to be held this May that has subsequently been cancelled.

I guess I have to take a long look at myself as to why I didn't speak out sooner. Maybe I'll go to a secluded beach after the interview and meditate by the sea for a couple hours and hopefully come back to you tomorrow with the answer to that one.

Politics UK

What’s your opinion of Peter Reynolds’ blogs?

Chris Bovey

Apart from his racism, homophobia, sexism, his politics, his suspected impersonation of a doctor and his bigoted hatred towards many minority groups, I found his blog to be fine.

Politics UK

You have recently resigned for the Exec of CLEAR. Why?

Chris Bovey

I didn’t resign. Last Monday, Greg de Hoedt and myself tabled a motion of no confidence in the leadership of Peter Reynolds to the CLEAR Exec. Reynolds responded by announcing we are both suspended from the Exec and to be expelled from the party, I know you couldn’t make it up, it would make a great sit com.

Chris Bovey

 I might add that nowhere in the party's constitution does it state the leader has the power to do that. Did you know CLEAR members have been bullied and ejected for questioning Peter Reynolds' leadership or policy decisions as well?

Politics UK

What is your relationship with Peter Reynolds now? Was he happy with you leaving CLEAR Exec?

Chris Bovey

LOL, let’s say, he didn’t take the proposed vote of no confidence well; he responded in the same way he does to anyone else who dares cross him, i.e., with abuse and insults. The CLEAR web site has had some technical difficulties, in the last few days, which he immediately blamed me for. Tuesday night it went down again. I was playing a guitar in my local pub last Tuesday at time the web site went down; when I got home at around 12.40am I found a couple of abusive emails from Reynolds claiming I had broken the site.

Hold on, let me cut & paste one of them, I’ll see if I can find it, it’s in my inbox.

 “Chris,

You have taken down the CLEAR website. It was working OK with direct links to content despite the broken home page. Now you've taken it down completely.

"I would never do anything to sabotage CLEAR"

You're a nasty, spiteful piece of work but you're not worth bothering with.

Karma will get you in the end.

Toodle pip!

Peter Reynolds”

I absolutely deny that I did anything to the web site; it is my belief Reynolds broke the site himself in a pathetic attempt to smear me. Here is a photo of me photo of me that was taken Tuesday night at the time Reynolds accused me, I was joyfully singing and playing guitar in the pub http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=317419458313388&set=at.305934802795187.74185.301603006561700.1009653476&type=1&theater

In another email Reynolds called me an ignorant bully, oh the irony, to be called an ignorant bully by Peter Reynolds; I’ll wear that as a badge of honour!

Politics UK

There have been many accusations levelled against Peter Reynolds. Do you believe that Peter Reynolds leadership is now tainted?

Chris Bovey

 If half the accusations about Peter Reynolds are true then CLEAR has a lot to worry about. I'm of the opinion the majority of it is true. His leadership is more than tainted, he has lost all credibility, he is an embarrassment and a laughing stock.

Politics UK

Do you think CLEAR can be a credible campaigning force with Peter Reynolds as leader?

Chris Bovey

Absolutely not! He must go now! If not CLEAR will never be taken seriously. I just hope either the remaining 2 members of the Exec or the membership can get rid of this buffoon before CLEAR permanently becomes damaged goods.

Politics UK

Is there a system in place whereby the members of CLEAR can demand a leadership contest?

Chris Bovey

Did you know Peter Reynolds pledged to stand down as leader if CLEAR did not have 10,000 paid members by this month? However, he has not yet done so, although paid membership is currently only around 700.

Greg Cure de Hoedt and I thought perhaps we could get rid of him by tabling a motion of no confidence in his leadership to the CLEAR Exec, but he just fired us. He informed me a vote of no confidence in his leadership could only be brought about if 100 paid up members called for this to happen. I would urge all members of CLEAR to email jan@clear-uk.org to call for a vote of no confidence in Peter Reynolds.

Chris Bovey

Hope this works, but Pete will probably just expel any member that called for him to go and declare it invalid.

Politics UK

 If there were a leadership contest, would you stand? And if not, who would be your preferred leader of CLEAR?

Chris Bovey

I would not stand. I would endorse Sanj Chowdhary to be leader. He has stated that he would do just one thing as leader, and that is to abolish the position of leader in preference to an ELECTED steering committee with each member having equal power.

Politics UK

We will make this the last question: What now for the LCC (legalise cannabis campaign)?

Chris Bovey

As I previously mentioned, Reynolds has achieved the uniting of cannabis activists that hadn’t spoken for years. Once Reynolds is gone, it will be a great opportunity for people to put their differences behind them, to draw a line in the sand and unite in our common cause to end the unjust prohibition of cannabis in the UK. One thing for sure is we are a broad church, we welcome stoners, hippies in suits and non-users alike; the only thing there is no room for in the cannabis movement is racism, homophobia or prejudice towards minority groups of any kind.

Politics UK

PoliticsUK would like to thank Chris Bovey for his time on this interview. We shall leave this thread open if you wish to discuss any subjects brought up on this interview. Please be aware that normal posting rules apply.

Thank you and Goodnight

Alan