Clegg’s fury at leaks exposing his opposition to knife curbs

THE bitter coalition row over knife crime intensified yesterday as the Liberal Democrats claimed that automatic jail sentences for offenders would turn them into ‘hardened criminals’.

Nick Clegg was said to be ‘bouncing off the walls’ after secret Cabinet correspondence was leaked to yesterday’s Daily Mail, revealing how senior Lib Dems are resisting Tory plans to toughen punishments for those caught twice with a blade.

Sources close to the Deputy Prime Minister said the idea of mandatory sentences was a ‘gimmick’ and that jail risked turning those who have already been convicted more than once into worse offenders.

Though Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has been proposing to tighten the law for some months, the Lib Dems also accused the Tories of seeking to exploit the fatal stabbing of teacher Ann Maguire in Leeds earlier this week.

Yesterday the Daily Mail published a leaked letter to Mr Clegg from Lib Dem Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander saying plans to impose a mandatory six-month jail sentence on any adult convicted of a second knife offence were too expensive.

Marked ‘restricted’, it was sent the day after Mrs Maguire’s death. In an earlier letter to the Deputy Prime Minister, Lib Dem schools minister David Laws said he was unwilling to support mandatory minimum sentences as they were ‘too blunt an instrument’.

The Deputy Prime Minister is understood to be blaming the Tories for the breach of Cabinet confidentiality. A Lib Dem source accused them of engaging in political games in the aftermath of Mrs Maguire’s killing.

Downing Street dismissed that suggestion as absurd, and it emerged that Tory MPs are planning to force a Commons vote on changing the law regardless of the opposition of their coalition partners.

Conservative MP Nick de Bois unveiled an amendment to a new Criminal Justice and Courts Bill that would mean over-18s getting a six-month minimum sentence for two offences, while under-18s would face mandatory detention orders for four months. It was immediately supported by 30 of his colleagues.

Mr de Bois said the Lib Dems’ arguments against mandatory sentences were ‘bizarre’. ‘Most people will think that repeat offenders car- rying knives are already hardened criminals,’ he said. ‘If people choose to carry a blade for the second time after having already been convicted once, frankly it beggars belief that the Lib Dems don’t think they should go to jail.

‘Sentencing in this area is inadequate. Thousands of people are getting a slap on the wrist.’

Education Secretary Michael Gove says the law must be toughened, regardless of the objections of Mr Clegg and his colleagues. ‘It’s important that we send a very clear signal that knife crime is going to be dealt with effectively,’ he said.

David Cameron indicated that he also wanted tougher penalties. ‘We should continue to look at that, and I’m sure we’ll reach a good outcome on that issue,’ he said.

A Lib Dem source said the idea that any members of the party would wish to make society less safe was ‘ridiculous’.

‘Whilst minimum sentencing might sound attractive in media headlines, there is a serious risk it could undermine the role of the judges, who are best placed to decide on sentencing,’ said the source.

‘Sending youngsters automatically to jail regardless of the circumstances also has the potential to turn them into hardened criminals and can lead to more not less crime.’

TWo girls aged 14 and 15 have been arrested on suspicion of planning to murder a teacher.

Gwent Police said they were held at Cwmcarn High School in South Wales on Thursday because of concerns about their behaviour. It is believed a knife was found in the older girl’s bag. They were released on bail as inquiries continue.

Michael Gove – Pages 38-39