Government accused of 'screeching U-turn' over music festival drug testing after Parklife's Sacha Lord slams Home Office

The Government has been accused by Labour of performing a 'screeching U-turn' over policy surrounding drug testing at music festivals.

The Manchester Evening News told last week how Parklife at Heaton Park couldn't test drugs confiscated from festival-goers, as it has done with drug testing charity The Loop since 2014, without a special licence.

Parklife co-founder Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester's night-time economy advisor to the mayor Andy Burnham, said home secretary Suella Braverman would have 'blood on her hands' over the decision to enforce licences for drug testing at clubs and festivals.

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A licence, he said, hasn't been needed before, with the festival and The Loop having their own arrangement in place with Greater Manchester Police. Now the issue has been raised in the Commons, with one MP calling for a full debate.

Labour's Sam Tarry MP for Ilford South, told the House: "Since 2014 the Home Office has allowed the testing of drugs to take place at many, many festivals, saving potentially hundreds of lives.

"What happened just over a month ago was a screeching U-turn from the Home Office, inexplicable to many festival organisers across the country. For me, harm reduction has got to be the focal point of organising those fantastic musical events.

"I would like to see a debate in Government time that gets to the bottom of this inexplicable Home Office U-turn because in prior times the Home Office itself has sanctioned this activity taking place on site at festivals with Home Office branding, and in fact has even permitted Greater Manchester Police and Avon and Somerset Police, as well as having their own forensic