News in Brief

Scottish National Party activists have overwhelmingly backed their leadership's recommendation to campaign for a double yes vote in Scotland's devolution referendum on September 11. Those who argued that devolution was a blind alley on the path to independence and that the party should have no truck with the mainstream "yes" campaign were heavily defeated at a meeting of the SNP's national council in Perth.

The father of teenager Leah Betts, who died after taking Ecstasy, has announced that he wants to be the Government's new "Drugs Czar". Paul Betts, a former police officer, said he would be applying for the post. "It's a wonderful step forward," he said in a television interview. The adverts for the Drugs Czar say a high profile is required, and that there is direct access to the Prime Minister.