The British government appears to be on a collision course with the same gay vote that helped David Cameron back into 10 Downing Street with a majority.
Following the Conservative Party’s moves to legalise gay marriage in Britain, as well as the party’s continued distancing away from traditional values, Mr Cameron has found himself in a position where he relies more on the LGBT vote than ever.
But there may well be a fracture in Mr Cameron’s own, personal gay marriage, as his government attempts to ban “psychoactive drugs” and legal highs – a policy announced in the Queen’s speech earlier this week, much to the glee of bloggers.
Specifically, as Isabel Hardman writes over at the Spectator, the drugs known as “poppers” – quite popular with the Britain’s gay community – are on the banned list. Their popularity lies with their ‘muscle relaxing’ qualities, which Hardman writes, “enable or enhance gay sex”.
And despite the issue being brought to a government source’s attention by Hardman, they don’t seem to be backtracking, yet.
One Whitehall source said: “It’s no secret that poppers are harmful substances that are totally unregulated and there’s a reason we are legislating to deal with them.”
Numerous reports point to the fact that you can buy poppers in petrol stations across the United Kingdom. The drug now forms part of the 500+ legal highs that being targeted by Cameron’s government.
Given the Conservative Party’s habit of capitulating to liberal-left interest groups however, it may not come as a surprise to anyone if poppers magically find themselves off the banned list, or very swiftly unbanned once the bill passes.