Liberal Democrats launch Law and Order mini-manifesto

5.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 29th Mar 2005

Liberal Democrats launch Law and Order mini-manifesto

Charles Kennedy MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats today launched his Party's Law and Order mini-manifesto. The document outlines plans to put 10,000 more police officers and 20,000 more Community Support Officers onto Britain's streets.

The Party also pledged to increase the amount of time officers spend on the streets, to introduce a tough working day for prisoners, and to crack down on anti-social behaviour.

Mr Kennedy said "Since Labour took power we have had 30 Government bills creating about 1,000 new crimes, hundreds of initiatives, and thousands of targets all designed to make good on the sound bite: 'Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.' But the reality is that this Government has been tough on rhetoric, heavy on legislation, but weak on real solutions."

Mr. Kennedy further said "In Britain today there are too many victims, too many crimes that are unsolved or not even pursued. In too many places, community life is blighted by a minority whose behaviour requires a tough response. People have a right to feel safe and secure in their homes, in their streets and to have their property respected."

On anti-social behaviour, Mr Kennedy added "We also need to concentrate on the roots of anti-social behaviour. Liberal Democrats supported Anti-Social Behaviour Orders as a stop gap measure, but the emphasis on exclusion and punishment just pushes problems behind closed doors, or shunts them from one community to another. Liberal Democrat councils have been innovative in tackling anti-social behaviour. Tough Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, as pioneered in Liberal Democrat-run Islington, are designed to prevent such behaviour rather than waiting until communities are terrorised."

On Prisons, Mr Kennedy said "Prison is necessary, but when 60% of offenders come out of prison just to commit more crime, we say prison must be made to work. Make prisoners work their sentence - not sit around in their cells. Give them schooling; give them a trade; provide them with the tools to go straight when they get out. Taking away their liberty is the correct punishment. Giving them an alternative to a life of crime is the long-term solution."

Mark Oaten MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, said "The Liberal Democrats are committed to effective policies which will prevent crime from happening in the first place. That is why we are promising 10,000 more police officers and 20,000 more community support officers. But what is as important as a rise in police numbers, is how these extra officers are used. By using more and better information technology, Liberal Democrats would increase the amount of time the police spend on the streets of our communities rather than being forced to stay in their stations filling out endless forms."

Mike Dixon, West Midlands Executive Member and Member of the Party's Law and Order Working Group added "People want local police patrolling their local area to help cut crime and tackle the anti-social behaviour that blights many neighbourhoods in Britain. By scrapping ID cards, the Liberal Democrats will fund an extra 50 more police and Community Support Officers for every constituency in the country to combat crime and the fear of crime, this would work out as an extra 972 Police Officers for the West Midlands."

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View the Liberal Democrat Law and Order mini-manifesto.