Home Office leak hits Brown relaunch

Racial relations could suffer under an economic downturn

Monday, 01, Sep 2008 05:29

Gordon Brown's autumn agenda to revive his struggling premiership has been hit by a leaked letter from the Home Office linking increased crime to the credit crunch.

The draft memorandum for No 10, written by the Home Office, warns that "acquisitive crime" is likely to increase as a result of current economic difficulties.

The letter says: "There is a risk of a downturn increasing the appeal of far-right extremism and racism, which presents a threat as there is evidence that grievances based on experiencing racism are one of the factors that can lead to people becoming terrorists."

It also predicts heightened hostility to migrants, who make up significant proportions of the workforce in sectors like the construction industry.

The Conservatives have hit out at the message the letter sends about the government's treatment of the economy. Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said: "Now we see the consequences of Gordon Brown's mismanagement of the economy will not just hit hard-working families in the pocket but will also threaten their safety."

In a break from the government's usual policy of not commenting on leaked documents, the Home Office rushed to clarify the letter was draft advice which had not been cleared by home secretary Jacqui Smith.

Tony McNulty, home office minister, said it was "blindingly obvious" burglaries and right wing extremism would rise during a downturn.

"Previous experience dictates that, to an extent, when we do have a slowdown in the economy, some aspects of crime may go up," he said.

"This really is a statement of the blindingly obvious - people would be astonished if the Home Office weren't looking at how the relationship between crime and the criminal justice system and the economy interact and relate with each other."

Mr Brown is expected to unveil a raft of economic measures designed to help households cope with the current downturn later this week but is struggling to get his premiership's relaunch off to a smooth start.

Comments by chancellor Alistair Darling that Britain is "p*ssed off" with the government and a leaked letter from the Home Office worrying about increased crime because of the credit crunch will not have been welcomed in Downing Street.