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It's time for the Liberal Democrat voice on tackling crime.
December 15, 2006 12:00 AM
By Nick Clegg MP, Lib Dem shadow Home Secretary in Liberal Democrat News
By Nick Clegg MP, Lib Dem shadow Home Secretary in Liberal Democrat News
Are you soft, or are you hard on crime? For too long this government has succeeded in reducing the debate on law and order to this infantile question.
For too long a succession of Blair's Home Secretaries have pursued populist headlines, bombarding the country with a blizzard of new laws, new offences, new gimmicks.
But has this tough talking, hyperactive approach worked? Hardly.
- Overcrowded prisons.
- Public fear of crime up.
- One of the highest re-offending rates in the western world.
- A probation service on its knees.
- Conviction rates for serious crime, like rape, down.
- A Home Office not "fit for purpose".
- ASBOs - Blair's one trick solution to all anti-social behaviour now breached more than 50% of the time.
- £100,000 of public money spent on ID cards, every day.
- The largest DNA database in the world, holding the details of thousands of adults and childrens who are totally innocent of any wrongdoing.
This is Blair's legacy: tough talk, total incompetence, heavy-handed state intrusion.
Meanwhile, David Cameron's Conservatives are in a complete spin on crime: one day he wants to "hug" hoodies, the next day one of his senior MPs wants to "slap" troublemakers. What policies do they have? Who knows?
So this is the right time for Liberal Democrats to remind voters that there is an alternative, one which is Liberal in principal, but also more effective in practice.
Principled - because we will continue to argue against unnecessary legislation which curtails freedoms without enhancing our collective security. We have led the charge against new laws which inhibit our right to protest in Westminster and Whitehall, against the lopsided UK/US Extradition Treaty which gives greater protection to US citizens.
At the same time, we have argued that it is necessary to engage and rehabilitate offenders if we are to bring them back from the brick a lifetime of criminality. There's nothing "soft" in seeking to give prisoners the skills they need to lead a law-abiding life once they leave prison - it's the best way to avoid yet more needless victims of repeat crime.
That's also why we've been at the forefront in advocating greater investments in secure and semi-secure mental health treatment facilities: 10% of prisoners are identified as being "functionally psychotic". They should be treated in specialised facilities, not overcrowded prisons.
Liberal Democrat councils have quietly, but effectively been implementing Liberal Democrat policies to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. Measures, such as Acceptable Behaviour Contracts in Islington - encouraging the families of disruptive individuals to change their behaviour. Or the Community Justice Panel in Chard, Somerset, where offenders and victims come face-to-face to decide how best to make amends for the harm caused by the offence committed. Or the dramatic cut in domestic burglary because of Lib Dem policies in Liverpool. Or the cut in city centre alcohol-related violence in Newcastle because of Lib Dem action. The record is clear: Liberal Democrats cut crime.
We have principles to be proud of, and a record of effective action too.
But now is the time to do more. In the New Year, we will see the launch of a new Liberal Democrat Crime Campaign, showing how we aim to target offenders, not harass the innocent. Ming Campbell will lead our campaign in Westminster - highlighting our position to the media; and new policies will be unveiled and debated at the Harrogate Spring Conference.
Crime and the fear of crime are issues which demand a strong Lib Dem response. Voters are looking for a party which protects traditional, British values and freedoms - whilst also taking effective action to reduce crime, especially by stopping the "revolving door" of repeat crime.
As the government stumbles from one Home Office crisis to the next, and the Conservatives say little of substance, this is the ideal time for the Liberal Democrat voice on crime and anti-social behaviour to be heard anew.
Nick Clegg MP is the Lib Dem shadow Home Secretary
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