Livingston by-election 2005

'ID cards won't catch criminals, more police will.' Cllr Angela Constance, 25 th September 2005.

SNP on attack as rate of drug crime shoots up

From the Evening News 26 th September 2005

CRIMES linked to the supply of drugs have soared by 71 per cent in the Lothians in the past eight years, according to new figures published by the SNP.

In West Lothian, the increase was more than 85 per cent. Angela Constance, the SNP candidate in the Livingston by-election, accused Labour of failing to tackle the crimes that impacted most on communities.

The figures, obtained under freedom of information legislation, show across Lothian the number of offences recorded by police involving supply or possession with intent to supply rose from 1164 in 1997 to 1986 last year.

There was also an increase from 2821 to 4152 of possession offences. In Edinburgh, offences related to the supply of drugs rose from 731 to 1079 and possession from 1666 to 2417. In West Lothian, supply offences went up from 184 to 341 and possession from 459 to 734.

Ms Constance said: "These latest official figures show drug crime on the rise, with huge increases in supply and possession in our own streets and communities."

However, a spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "The increase in drug offences shows the success of Operation Foil, which has been targeting drug dealers over a number of years."