New Home Secretary pledges renewed crusade against anti-social behaviour

Alan Johnson, the new Home Secretary, says he wants to revive Labour's 'crusade' against anti-social behaviour.

  In an interview with The Times he says he feels that the government's focus on combatting anti-social behaviour had been side-lined with the departure of Tony Blair as prime minister two years ago: the party he said, had been "coasting" on the issue ever since. "What we have done is rested on our laurels. We need a new drive on anti-social behaviour."

The rival Daily Telegraph comments: "We do not need agendas, task forces, websites, leaflets and reassurance blitzes designed to encourage people to believe something that they can see with their own eyes is not true. Surely, the people to deal with this menace are the police. There is a record number of police officers, yet there are fewer on old-fashioned street patrols than ever before."

Read the rest of this item from The Daily Telegraph here