The admission by Jack Straw, the home secretary, that crime is increasing for the first time in six years makes it certain that law and order will be a central issue at the next election. The prime minister, Tony Blair, is certainly worried. At a meeting with chief constables next week in Downing Street, he will urge them to crack down on street crime. Crimes of violence have increased by nearly a fifth over the past year. In some urban areas like London and the West Midlands crimes of violence including robbery have increased by nearly 40%. This week the audience of cbs television news in the United States was treated to a report suggesting that—apart from the small matter of murder—Britain has a worse problem with violent crime than America.
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