Britain is as bad as The Wire, say Tories

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said the UK now suffers from the same culture of gangs and violence found in the US.

He said police were fighting an "urban war" against urban gangs as violence in society has become "a norm and not an exception".

In a speech in Westminster today he will say: "The Wire used to be just a work of fiction for British viewers.

"But under this Government, in many parts of British cities, The Wire has become a part of real life in this country too.

"Far too many of those features of what we have always seen as a US phenomenon are now to be found on the streets of Britain as well."

The Wire, which is currently being shown on BBC2, portrays unremittingly the battle between police and gangs on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland, on the east coast of the USA.

It has become a byword for urban deprivation and societal breakdown in modern America.

Mr Grayling said parts of Britain now suffered from the same culture of "deprivation, harm, addiction and failure".

He said the Government had been responsible for a "decade of failure" that most affected the poorest in society.

"When The Wire comes to Britain's streets, it is the poor who suffer most," he said.

"It is the poor who are the ones who have borne the brunt of the surge in violence under this Government.

"It is they who struggle to live their lives against a constant fear of crime."

Earlier this week Mr Grayling accused ministers of allowing Britain to divide into "two nations", with the poorest in society suffering most from crime.

Today he stepped up his attack, and pledged to "break people free" from the "ghettos" they live in.

But Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said crime and drug use were down since 1997.

He said: "Since 1997, crime has fallen by 36%, but we remain determined to crack down on drug-related crime and the harm it causes to communities.

"Overall drug use is at historically low levels and robust action is ensuring drugs are being taken off the streets.

"With record numbers of police officers and neighbourhood policing teams in every area we are better placed than ever to protect communities from drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour, and the fear these cause.

"Drug use has fallen since 1997 and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency seized 95 tonnes of Class A drugs last year alone, further frustrating drug dealer's criminal activity.

"Our efforts to tackle all crime are concentrated in local areas which are most at risk, because we recognise that some areas face more challenges than others and why we have initiatives to tackle crime that target funding to the areas with most need."