Exclusive, by Bill Jacobs

HOME Secretary Jack Straw faced up to his family's drugs nightmare today and warned the people of East Lancashire: "If this can happen to me it can happen to anyone."

The Blackburn MP revealed the personal torment suffered by his loved ones in an exclusive interview with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph after it was revealed his 17-year-old son William had been arrested by police in London for allegedly trying to sell cannabis.

And he said that allegations that his own child had been linked with the drugs trade reinforced his determination to do something about it.

Politicians from all sides today backed Mr Straw and community leaders in his constituency joined forces with the local Labour group to add their support.

Mr Straw, who along with his wife Alice, has vowed to stand by his son said: "I came to the whole question of parenting with great humility because I have two teenage children.

"I know that no parent can know everything that their child does or where they go - especially with older teenagers.

"My message to Britain's parents is that if it could happen to parents like us then it could happen to any parent.

"Parents must do all they can to look out for the signs of drugs and to warn their children about the dangers.

"The fact that this could happen to people as relatively well off as we are has reinforced my commitment to do something about the problem of drugs.

"I have always believed that it was a danger. Now I know from my own family experience of the problems.

"It has really brought home to me the scale of the problem and the dangers of drugs.

"I have always promised to do all I can to tackle the problem. "It's been a strain but far worse things have happened to families.

"It has been a strain particularly for the other members of the family, for my wife and for both the children because I am used to being in the public eye and they are not.

"I am very glad and relieved that it is all over.

"It has been quite a Christmas." Asked if he had any idea whether William had been involved with drugs, he said: "No."

Commenting on his feelings when the allegations were made public, he added: "I felt the same emotions as any parent would in such circumstances - shock and concern.

"Being a parent means giving love and support and - when its necessary - confronting children with their wrongdoing. When a child does wrong, I believe it to be the duty of a parent to act promptly. That is what I sought to do."

He said his son went voluntarily with him to the police and did not, and should not, expect any favours from the legal process.

Mr Straw said his expectation was that William would be named when the story broke before Christmas and that he had drafted a statement for publication immediately afterwards.

However, he was advised that there was no way that he could override his son's - or indeed any young persons' - right to anonymity.

Therefore he and the family had to wait until the final decisions had been taken in the court last night.

Mr Straw added that he had found it embarrassing to have his own son caught up in a drugs scandal when he was Home Secretary and had taken such a tough line against drugs.

But he stressed that this would not stop him taking a tough line and would indeed make it tougher.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.