News from Labour Matters

British society is not “broken”

A Financial Times editorial pours cold water on the notion, famously pushed by Cameron’s Conservatives, that Britain’s society is broken, explaining that:

“There is a strange disconnection between perceptions of local and national crime. This is caused by the national media’s obsession with promoting what scant evidence they can find of the UK’s moral degeneration, when in reality the amount of crime has actually been falling.

Crime detected by surveys has tumbled by 45 per cent since 1995. Burglary is down by 58 per cent and violent crime has halved. And new data for the last year follow that happy pattern.”

The editorial concludes that:

“The UK is in dire economic straits. It has areas that have long been wracked with poverty and are wrecked by criminal activity. But, contrary to the sermons of populist politicians, British society is not “broken”. There is no crisis of popular morality. The country is safe, and has been getting safer. Britons should go out, enjoy the sunshine, watch the cricket and cheer up. It’s nice out.”

Read the full article.

Other news from Labour Matters

• Southampton Labour release alternative 'Budget for Fairness' - 6 February 2012
• "Bleak unemployment figures are bad news" says John Denham - 12 October 2011
• Westminster Council to cut Taxicard budget by £500,000 a year - 11 August 2011