What effect will Gove’s cocaine admission have on his leadership chances?

Politics Explained: Environment secretary's revelation differs from most other political drug confessions not only in that it relates to cocaine, but also that the use took place in a period after university when he was in employment

(PA)

It is often assumed that an admission of having taken illegal narcotics poses a mortal threat to any politician’s prospects.

But in fact, at least since recreational drug use became more widespread in the 1960s, there are few examples of political careers being ended by a confession of this sort.

Although cannabis remains a class B outlawed substance, potentially attracting prison sentences of five years for possession and 14 for dealing, new additions to the ever-growing list of MPs and ministers who admit having tried it is greeted often with little more than a shrug.