Thursday, March 24, 2005
Anti-social MPs
The usually sedate Welsh Affairs Committee appears to have given the Secretary of State for Wales a bloody nose. As this article in the Western Mail makes clear Welsh Secretary, Peter Hain, has in the past urged Wales' four forces to use more Asbos (Anti Social Behaviour Orders) in the fight against petty crime and yobbish behaviour. However, the Labour dominated Committee has now branded the Government's flagship measure to tackle anti-social behaviour a "crude" tool and urged Ministers not to "discriminate" against Welsh forces, who rarely use it.
Martyn Jones, who chairs the Committee, even ventured some criticism of Mr. Hain: 'Asked if Mr Hain had been wrong in his call for greater use of orders, Mr Jones said, "With hindsight you could say he was wrong"' This whole episode could well undermine Wales Labour's efforts to fight the General Election by branding everybody else as soft on crime.
Martyn Jones, who chairs the Committee, even ventured some criticism of Mr. Hain: 'Asked if Mr Hain had been wrong in his call for greater use of orders, Mr Jones said, "With hindsight you could say he was wrong"' This whole episode could well undermine Wales Labour's efforts to fight the General Election by branding everybody else as soft on crime.
