Chris Grayling, the Shadow Home Secretary, has today launched the crime section of the ‘Mending our Broken Society’ chapter of the Conservative Party’s draft manifesto. The paper builds on underlying themes of current Conservative thinking: decentralisation, accountability & transparency.
The key areas of crime targeted are binge-drinking, knife crime and anti-social behaviour. There are commitments to give local authorities greater control over licensing, bring in tougher fines for selling alcohol to minors, and increase taxes on super-strength lagers and ciders, as well as alcopops. These pledges are a clear attempt to reassure traditional Conservative voters that compassionate conservatism does not mean that Cameron’s first administration will be a light touch on delinquents.
The Conservatives also announced a commitment to protect so-called ‘have-a-go heroes’ who intervene to stop a crime or defend themselves against intruders. Furthermore, the paper announces a Victims’ Fund, paid for by deducting money from prisoners’ earnings, to fund rape crisis centres.
In terms of policing, there are the standard Conservative calls for less paperwork and health and safety, to encourage ‘common sense policing’. Interestingly, Mr Grayling calls for surveillance authorisation to be waivered in ‘routine’ police cases, although local authorities’ use of surveillance will be monitored more closely, following reports of local councils using excessive surveillance on families seeking entry to local schools.
A much-publicised Conservative crime policy has been the controversial commitment to directly-elected police commissioners, which this paper promises in all but name. They call this ‘a directly elected individual who will set priorities for the policing of local communities.’ Along with this promise of accountability, the Conservatives also promise to publish police data online in an open source format, thereby promising transparency.
Although there are no substantial new announcements today, this document clearly aligns crime policy with Cameron’s wish for a more decentralised and less bureaucratic state, while at the same time reassuring heartland voters that the Conservatives are committed to being tough on crime.
