We must not wave the white f lag on crime

IN recent weeks, it appears that control of Britain’s streets has been surrendered to violent criminals.

Police struggle to tackle serious offending. Judges refuse to impose severe punishments on those hauled into court. And, all too often, politicians wring their hands impotently.

Now, depressingly, more evidence has emerged to substantiate these concerns.

Exhibit A: In a desperate bid to tackle the terrifying orgy of stabbings engulfing the UK, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has demanded tough new knife laws.

But his eminently sensible plan has been blocked by Justice Secretary David Gauke, who is reluctant to lock up more vicious thugs in the country’s overcrowded jails.

It risks ‘criminalising’ them, he says – even though gang members already swagger around clutching fearsome weapons.

Exhibit B: Hard-pressed police ignore real crimes because they are tied up dealing with vulnerable people let down by Britain’s broken mental health system.

According to a damning report, officers respond to an emergency involving mental illness every four minutes – especially after social workers go home at 5pm.

Too often 999 calls reporting suspected rapes, burglaries and robberies go unanswered – undermining already fragile confidence in the police. Yes, agencies have faced deep funding cuts. But Labour’s predictable solution of throwing more money at the problem is plainly risible.

Instead, ministers, the police and judiciary might receive more sympathy from the public if they got round the table quicker and drew up action plans on exactly how to tackle the crisis.

In the meantime, it is surely valid to ask: Is Britain finally waving the white flag on crime and justice?