Blair unveils 'Respect' action plan

Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled his 'Respect' action plan today, with a series of measures aimed at stamping out anti-social behaviour.

Poor parenting is the main target of the new plan, part of the government's 'Respect' agenda. Under the new measures, problem families could face eviction from their homes for three months, as well as fines for persistent anti-social behaviour.

'Family support schemes' would also be introduced to provide help for parents dealing with problem children, as would a national parenting academy, which would allow social workers to work with difficult families.

Mr Blair said: " There are a small number of families who are out of control and in crisis. It is those families whose children are roaming the streets and disrupting the classrooms. We have to help those parents and their children."

The measures would also include: an increase in the use of parenting orders; the creation of a national volunteer service for young people; the creation of a new offence of obstructing the progress of ambulance workers; an increase in fines for anti-social behaviour, from £80 to £100; and the introduction of a nationwide non-emergency telephone number to report anti-social behaviour, such as graffiti, verbal abuse and minor assaults.

The Prime Minister said that a "radical new approach" was needed in order to "restore the liberty of the law-abiding citizen". He said: "We are fighting 21st crime with 19th century methods. To get on top of 21st century crime, we need to accept that what works in practice is a measure of summary power with right of appeal, alongside the traditional court process."

However, Conservative leader David Cameron dismissed the action plan as nothing more than a "headline-grabbing gimmick". Speaking at the launch of the party's 'Real Respect' agenda, Mr Cameron said that long-term solutions were needed and that the under-lying causes of social breakdown, such as family breakdown, drug addiction and low aspiration had to be tackled. He said: "We need to use the good sense in our communities, and support it. Tony Blair's recycled crackdowns miss the point. This issue is too important to be dealt with by 'eye-catching initiatives' designed to get newspaper headlines. It's about getting to grips with the real problems, tackling the long-term causes of our society's loss of respect."

Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesperson Mark Oaten said that the action plan was the "government's usual mish-mash of gimmicks and spin" and criticised plans for a national parenting academy. He said: "The proposal for a national parenting academy sounds like the worst sort of nanny-state. While many people with young children could benefit from meeting and talking to other families, decisions about parenting are ultimately decisions for parents.

"Central government cannot dictate how parents form loving relationships with their children."

(KMcA/GB)