DOHERTY TARGETTED IN POLITICAL RANT

PETE DOHERTY has been blasted for condoning the use of hard drugs by a leading British politician, who insists rockers need to act more responsibly.

Conservative Party leader MICHAEL HOWARD is angry that former LIBERTINE Doherty's heroin-fuelled misadventures have attracted a frenzied media coverage, because his bad behaviour will corrupt the minds of his impressionable teen fans.

And Howard - whose party is the main opposition to Prime Minister TONY BLAIR's ruling Labour Party - is urging contemporary music stars to condemn drugs in public and tell youngsters narcotics are not "cool".

In a rant over Doherty's recent antics, Howard says, "Here you have a man who takes drugs and gets locked up - yet ends up on the front pages.

"Today, more than ever, we need responsible role models for our children - professional athletes prepared to say drugs are wrong, pop stars willing to say drugs aren't cool, actors who make clear that drugs ruin lives.

"Some in the media give the impression that drug-taking is cool - is it any wonder that children believe this?

"I think many parents will have been rather surprised by the celebrity coverage given to Peter Doherty over the last month."

Troubled Doherty is currently on bail facing robbery and blackmail charges and this week (22FEB05) had to be restrained after fighting with a bandmate during a concert in London with his band BABYSHAMBLES.