Blair steps up ‘respect’ agenda
Tony Blair stepped up his drive to restore “respect” in Britain’s communities yesterday when he visited a run down housing estate.
The Prime Minister has pledged to “change the rules of the game” in dealing with Britain’s “yob culture” in a new policy initiative following his return from a three-week break in the Caribbean.
As part of the new batch of measures, the Home Office is to extend the use of asbos (anti-social behaviour orders) and parenting contracts in a bid to foster a “new level” of respect across society.
Mr Blair has appointed Louise Casey as the new respect tzar, a decision the press leapt upon as the government adviser has praised binge drinking in the past and threatened to “deck” officials.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister, accompanied by Scotland’s First Minister, Jack McConnell, visited a community centre in the Easterhouse district of East Glasgow, where he heard complaints by local residents of gangs roaming the streets at night.
Mr Blair said his task was to find out how new anti-social behaviour measures were working north of the border.
After the meeting, Mr Blair travelled on to Balmoral.
Today, he flies off to India, then China, before the resumption of parliament in October.
