Blair restates September deadline to get street crime 'under control'

Tony Blair yesterday restated his promise that street crime would be falling by the end of September.

During Prime Minister's Question Time, he faced bitter criticism from Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative leader, who accused Labour of "failing" on crime.

Challenging Mr Blair over rising levels of muggings, Mr Duncan Smith said: "You forever say that you will be judged on exactly how effective the measures are that you are taking. But street crime has increased by more than 30 per cent over the last year and doubled in the last three years.

"So, presumably by your own measure, you must now be failing," he said.

Mr Blair said the Government had been getting more police on the streets, tightening bail regulations and pushing cases through magistrates' courts more quickly. "We will indeed ... by the end of September get street crime under control," he insisted.

The Prime Minister said that if Mr Duncan Smith was "serious" in his commitment to fight crime, he would reverse Tory policy and support the "essential" Proceeds of Crime Bill now before Parliament.

But Mr Duncan Smith said: "You know that we have supported the Bill and voted in favour of the confiscation of assets for criminals, particularly drug dealers.

"You should apologise and say you were wrong."