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Cameron tells yobs: Watch out the Tories are about
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor23.02.09
DAVID CAMERON today warned young people that a Conservative government would impose curfews on yobs, axe cautions and lock up drunks.
Unveiling new moves to tackle crime, the Tory leader said children and adults would have to understand that under his premiership "you're not going to get away with it any more".
"If we win the next election, I want a loud and clear message to be heard by every kid who's getting into trouble and every kid who's thinking about it: It's the Conservatives you're dealing with now," Mr Cameron said. His remarks came as shadow home secretary Chris Grayling set out plans to reverse Labour's binge-drinking crisis, put more police on the streets and target gang ring-leaders.
In his first major speech since taking over his post, Mr Grayling said he would be "unashamedly tough" with youth crime.
He also denied that it was "inevitable" offending should rise in a recession, as predicted by the Home Office.
Mr Cameron, who was accused of "hug a hoodie" rhetoric two years ago, stressed that he still wanted to tackle the causes of crime. But he declared that under a Tory government the Home Secretary would only be focused on cutting crime rather than acting as "social services" for perpetrators.
"For the last decade or so, we have seen that vital, single-minded focus on crime-fighting disastrously diluted so the Home Office and the police too often see themselves as some kind of social service," he said.
"No. They are not a social service. They are a force. And with a Conservative government I want them to be a force to be respected and reckoned with.
"I want the police to do what they're supposed to do which is to fight crime, not waste time." Mr Grayling said that a Conservative government would reintroduce a sense of "right and wrong" in the criminal justice system.
"Fewer rights, more wrongs. The starting point has to be that reality of life today," he said.
He vowed to end the "caution culture" which allowed young people to rack up a string of warnings before facing any serious penalties.
Attacking Labour's 24-hour licensing laws, Mr Grayling also said that he wanted to see drunks locked up in police cells rather than wasting the night in accident and emergency departments of hospitals.
The shadow home secretary said he wanted to stop use of the term "anti-social behaviour" and instead describe such conduct - from verbal abuse of old people in the street to jumping on car bonnets - as criminal acts.
Young people will face home curfews and a return to "clip round the ear" policing under the plans, to force parents to take responsibility for their offspring.
Police would be allowed to "ground" children who cause trouble in their neighbourhoods.
Youths aged between 10 and 17 would be confined by the courts to their homes, except to attend school, and breaches of the curfew would risk a custodial sentence.
Police would also be given the power to instantly pull youngsters off the streets and hold them at stations before making their parents collect them.
Labour hit back, with the Home Office claiming that Mr Grayling's policies were either unworkable or had already been adopted.
The Home Office said it had stopped the practice of giving cautions for carrying a knife.
Labour sources said Mr Cameron's new hard-line tone was a "desperate" attempt to shrug off his "hug a hoodie" image. His pledge appeared to "criminalise" all children.
"A Tory government would scrap the CCTV that stops and solves crimes and the DNA database that has caught killers and rapists," a source said.
Reader views (24)
Dave will have to send Norman Tebbit dressed as he was in spitting image armed with a couple of knukle dusters for good measure!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Surely it is time to replace Political Correctness with Practical Morality - and regain some sense of what is right and wrong.
- Steve, Cirencester, UK
its about time something was done with the British yobs, and delinquents.....they have become the untouchables...and they know it and play on it.....put them into the army for a couple of years, that will sort them out.....discipline and hard work is what they need...so how about it? Too much time on their hands and too little to do and respect. A system gone wrong.!!And a very sick system that allows them to get away with it, and those that discipline get repremanded - what a joke.
- Yvette, leyland lancs.
If Dave wants to do this, he'll have to scrap the toxic 'Yuman Rytes'act, because that scrap of dangerous legislation is the root cause of much of the crime. Probation workers and other agencies constantly put the 'Yuman Rytes' of criminals above the risk they pose to the public/victims with terrible consequences. The people who roam our streets do so with impunity because they know their 'rytes' and know that all they'll get is a caution, or at the very worst, a slap on the wrist from a limp, wet, magistrate who will see them as the victim, and their victim as a criminal. Thus, the Tories will have to completely overturn Nu Labour's 'Soft on criminals - tough on the victims of crime' policies, which given the mindset of the judiciary, will not be an easy task.
- Joannie, London, England
Who on earth writes Cameron's " One Liners or does he get the out of a Christmas Cracker ?
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD
Very good project! About time we get rid of the Nu Labor "all goes" culture.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Another day, another conservative initiative. Where do Dopey Dave and his lapdogs turn for meaningful dialogue with the voters. It ain't r science Dave, your problem is knowing when to keep your collective mouth shut. Given enough rope, labour will.......... They will, really.
- Michael Murphy, brightlingsea england
I can only assume that Martin of London has only lived his adult life under New Labour. I've always done well when the Tories have been in power, Labour have ruined this country for many years to come - it's the Tories that will put it right AGAIN.
- Mark Burton, St Ives. Cambs
Lock up the drunks ? By this you mean everyone under-35 after 9pm, I guess ?
Wishful thinking, even if it is my wish as well.
There aren't enough cells in police stations and prisons to contain the filth we've got let alone the ones that regularly get away with their crimes
Legalise drugs, get the addicts into special hospitals for the addicted, i.e. padded cells with locked doors. and make space for the real scum.
- Madmax, London, UK
The Tories will be able to do nothing and will do nothing,don't anyone be under any false hopes.Life will only get worse in Britain.
- Martin, London
Wow, bet that's got them quaking in there boots, watch out there's a Tory about, ho ho ho.
- Kev, London-UK
Unless we start with television we are wasting our time. Television has replaced religeon. At present most of television is in the hands of the morally rotten section of our society. All television should be examined for its influence on the behaviour of society. Where this is found to be negative it must not be tolerated.
- John Campbell, Thurso UK
I agree that discipline should be enforced and that certain young people need to be put under curfew. However it is all too easy to critize the government, who have tried many intiatives, yet the Conservatives have failed to support them. Might I remind the Shadow Home Secretary, that these problems started way back in the days of Margaret Thatcher, when she stupidly claimed that there was "no such thing as society" and that materialism was the be all of everything, provoking this unrest in society.
- Not Convinced!, Thirsk, North Yorkshire
Why should religion be introduced in schools? As soon as they realise it's all supersticious nonsence they'll see no reason not to offend. What needs to be done is for the parents to teach the kids how to think whats right and wrong so they can think and decide for themselves and make the right decisions - religion is not essential for morals. I'm not religious, and I've never even shoplifted. I also agree that laws against parents are too strict and kids are aware of the laws and their rights so carry on doing whatever they want knowing nobody can punish them.
- Fr, Wales
Linda, there is nothing "good" about a hiding.
- Mike Usiskin, london
Come off it. Its the Bullingdon Yobs who are causing all this mayhem. The Tories voted against ASBO's and opractically every CJA in existance.
- Dhanraj, basildon
What happened to Cameron's "Hug a Yob" campaign of a few years ago?
- Phil Jones, London UK
If they do bring in this 'clip round the ear' flexibility it should only be extended to the police, not to members of the public (I doubt if the police would touch it with a barge pole, though - what with the threat of being accused of using unnecessary force or not following procedure. As with many of these Tory 'policies', it's easy to lecture on law and order when you're not the party in power and not going to have to follow it through). There are plenty of people who think that any gathering of teenagers is automatically criminal and who seem to dislike all children on principle and they could, I fear, abuse this right. Not all young people on the streets are causing trouble and those who are law-abiding should be allowed to go about their business unhindered. People who bang on about the evils of society and demonise our young would do well to remember that.
- Lj, london
It would be a better idea if religion was reintroduced into our schools at both primary and secondary levels. As the kids get no moral guidance from their parents it might just introduce a sense of right and wrong to our children. We used to have a daily service for the whole school after which disruptive children who caused trouble visited the head to be caned. Usually one visit was enough.
- N Nottley, Isleworth England
Good idea. Children should have strong discipline at home and in the classroom too. It nurtures respect in them and they feel safer with guidelines and discipline. However, this government has threatened parents who attempt to discipline their children and schools and police are too easy on them. Give them a good hiding and send them to their rooms and take away privileges. They soon respond and become nicer people.
- Linda, LONDON ENGLAND
What are they talking about? wouldn't that be abuse as labour have stated that's it's illegal to hit your child...well just as well I've never listened to labour and my boys have turned out fine with the occassional clip round the ear or leg as the case may be and that's coming from a Lone parent so see we're all dis-functional familes.
- Sarah, London
In this litigous society...this proposal is about 20 years too late! There are simple solutions. Neighbourhood pests should have welfare benefits confiscated and evicted from social housing. What happens to them then? Who cares!
- Roy G, Solihull, ENGLAND
All very well but not if the police are tucked up warmly in the stations when they should be out on the beat.
- John, London
Let's hope they carry out their promises. I could certainly do with something happening, as where I live my life is made a misery by other people's unruly youngsters.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent
