AN East Lancashire Euro MP today provoked outrage by calling for householders to be allowed to grow their own 'pot' plants.

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies wants people to be allowed to cultivate cannabis plants in protest at existing drug laws.

Mr Davies - who has a criminal conviction for possession of cannabis after leading a campaign against drugs policy in 2002, but has never used any illegal drugs - wants people to be able to grow a single cannabis plant without fear of prosecution.

But fellow MPs have slammed his idea as "bonkers".

Cannabis was this week downgraded from a Category B to a Category C drug.

Although it is still illegal to possess cannabis the only time that arrests will now be made for cannabis in Lancashire is if the person is under 18, possessing it near schools, youth clubs and play areas or smoking it in public.

A Home Office spokeswoman said that under the Misuse of Drugs Act it would be illegal to grow a cannabis plant.

She said: "It is an offence to have cannabis or any part of the plant in your possession.

"What action is taken would be dependant on the scale of the offence and would be dealt with at a local level but it is something an individual could be charged with and it is illegal to have it."

Lancashire Police say they would adhere to Home Office guidelines and would deal with the matter appropriately depending on how serious the offence was.

But Mr Davies says he wants to deal a blow to the criminal trade in drugs by giving those who use cannabis recreationally the chance to avoid contact with those in dealing in more harmful substances.

Mr Davies said: "Despite the declassification of the drug, there is a real risk that cannabis users will have to but the product from heroin dealers.

"For some this could be a slippery slope, because the criminals have a financial interest in encouraging their customers to try more harmful drugs."

Mr Davies has written to Home Secretary David Blunkett urging him to adopt the same approach as the Government in Belgium which has abandoned the prosecution of people growing a single female cannabis plant for their personal use.

Mr Davies, said: "If I wish I could grow a cannabis plant in my Brussels flat without fear of prosecution. But to do the same in Britain would put me at risk of serious penalties.

"It is a crazy situation that just puts money into the hands of criminal drug dealers."

But MPs branded his suggestion as "ludicrous'' and "dangerous".

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "It has recently been medically established that regular and prolonged use of cannabis affects people's mental state and judgement. Chris Davies is encouraging people to break the law. Cannabis is illegal and dangerous and this is a preposterous suggestion. I think it was a mistake to reclassify cannabis from a Class B drug to Class C.''

Darwen MP Janet Anderson said: "This is bonkers. It is a ludicrous idea. Although cannabis has been reclassified it is still illegal to grow and possess it. It remains a dangerous drug and I am appalled that Chris Davies is encouraging people to grow it in their living rooms.''

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope added: "This is a difficult area and I think the Government has got it right in changing the classification to concentrate police efforts on hard drugs like heroin.

"But Chris Davies has got it wrong. This is encouraging people to break the law - which he has already done - and cultivate a dangerous drug in their homes.

"It is a preposterous idea which makes you wonder whether the LibDems can be taken as a serious political party.''

Don Barnard from the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, backs Chris Davies' idea. He said: "I don't think one plant is enough. I think people should be allowed to grow five plants."