Smith: Britain isn't 'broken'

The government finally moved to counter David Cameron's warnings of anarchy in the UK today, with the declaration "Britain isn't broken".

Making her first address as home secretary to the TUC Congress, Jacqui Smith attacked those seeking political advantage from the public's fear of crime.

Ms Smith told union delegates: "Tragic events affect us all, and rightly make us question whether we're doing everything we can to tackle crime. But Britain isn't broken."

She highlighted a 60 per cent fall in burglary since 1995, violent crime falling to its lowest level in a decade and the chances of being a victim of crime at their lowest odds for 25 years.

"These are not the symptoms of a broken society," she said.

Ms Smith repeated the Home Office's view that violent crime is concentrated in specific areas requiring targeted action.

She was speaking the day new research by the Policy Exchange think-tank claimed Britain's gun culture has become "endemic" with one in five men knowing how to obtain an illegal firearm.

Addressing union members in Brighton, Ms Smith agreed the public's fear of crime remains "disproportionately high" and said the government must rebuild public confidence in policing.

She said: "As we all know, fear of crime can in itself have a damaging impact on communities and individuals. It can weaken the social fabric, breed mistrust, put public spaces out of limits, and foster suspicion or intolerance of others."

Ms Smith added: "The situation is not helped by those who seek political advantage from unnecessarily shrill warnings that we are facing anarchy on our streets."

To rebuild confidence in policing, Ms Smith announced plans to put dedicated community policy teams into every local area by April 2008.

Every household will also receive local crime statistics by July next year, as the government attempts to prove violent crime is a localised problem.

The Conservatives have in recent weeks seen their poll rating recover from the early-summer 'Brown bounce' as Mr Cameron has moved to take the initiative on law and order, presenting himself as the man to heal Britain’s "broken society".