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England riots: Broken society is top priority - Cameron England riots: Broken society is top priority - Cameron
(40 minutes later)
  
David Cameron has said tackling the "broken society" is back at the top of his agenda following last week's riots.David Cameron has said tackling the "broken society" is back at the top of his agenda following last week's riots.
The PM said he would review government policies and speed up plans to deal with "problem" families, improve parenting and education.The PM said he would review government policies and speed up plans to deal with "problem" families, improve parenting and education.
As part of plans to tackle what he called a "moral collapse", he also pledged an "all out war" on gangs.As part of plans to tackle what he called a "moral collapse", he also pledged an "all out war" on gangs.
But Labour leader Ed Miliband warned against "knee-jerk gimmicks" instead of "lasting solutions".But Labour leader Ed Miliband warned against "knee-jerk gimmicks" instead of "lasting solutions".
As the two politicians gave speeches, courts have continued to hear cases of the hundreds of people involved in rioting, looting and disorder across England. Total arrests across seven police forces on Monday morning were 2,766 - 1,406 of those arrested have so far been charged.As the two politicians gave speeches, courts have continued to hear cases of the hundreds of people involved in rioting, looting and disorder across England. Total arrests across seven police forces on Monday morning were 2,766 - 1,406 of those arrested have so far been charged.
In other developments following last week's riots:In other developments following last week's riots:
  • A 16-year-old boy is being questioned by police on suspicion of murdering Richard Bowes, 68, in Ealing last week. A 22-year-old man also arrested over his death has been bailed
  • Joshua Donald, 26, and a 17-year-old boy will appear at Birmingham Crown Court charged with the murders of three men hit by a car during disturbances in the city last week. A third man, Adam King, 23, will also appear at magistrates' court charged with three counts of murder
  • Bill Bratton, the former US police chief now advising the government on gangs, has told the Guardian he can bring about "transformational" change in the UK - and reduce crime despite cuts to police budgets
  • Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has told the BBC that people convicted of involvement in rioting could lose their benefits even if they do not receive a custodial sentence
  • Mayor of London Boris Johnson says he wants courts to have the power to send 11 to 15-year-olds convicted of being involved in riots to pupil referral units
  • In Manchester, those convicted of looting or public disorder will be barred from 400 stores in the city centre
Mr Cameron described the rioting, looting and arson that spread from London to parts of the East and West Midlands, Merseyside, Bristol, Manchester and Gloucester as "a wake-up call for our country".Mr Cameron described the rioting, looting and arson that spread from London to parts of the East and West Midlands, Merseyside, Bristol, Manchester and Gloucester as "a wake-up call for our country".
The riots were not about cuts, poverty or race. They were about the difference between right and wrong.
That was David Cameron's view.
In a speech that ranged through topics as diverse as parenting, health and safety legislation and the Human Rights Act, he did not spell out exactly how the government would change its policies.
But he did say there would be measures to deal with gangs and troubled families.
For Ed Miliband that thinking was shallow and superficial.
Poverty mattered, as well as the national culture.
He demanded an inquiry to investigate the causes of the trouble, and said bankers, MPs and journalists had been greedy, selfish and immoral as well as the rioters.
Both men know they need to reflect the public mood.
Both know diagnosing social problems is one thing, prescribing answers will be quite another.
He said the "worst of the British people" had been seen during the riots but praised those who had helped clean up shops and defend their homes, as well as the emergency services on the front line.He said the "worst of the British people" had been seen during the riots but praised those who had helped clean up shops and defend their homes, as well as the emergency services on the front line.
In a speech in Oxfordshire, he said politicians had been unwilling to talk about rights and wrongs, but "moral neutrality" would not "cut it any more". He questioned whether politicians had "the determination to confront the slow-motion moral collapse that has taken place in parts of our country these past few generations".In a speech in Oxfordshire, he said politicians had been unwilling to talk about rights and wrongs, but "moral neutrality" would not "cut it any more". He questioned whether politicians had "the determination to confront the slow-motion moral collapse that has taken place in parts of our country these past few generations".
He included children without fathers, schools without discipline and communities without control in a list of what he believed has gone wrong in parts of the country and said people were "crying out" for the government to act.He included children without fathers, schools without discipline and communities without control in a list of what he believed has gone wrong in parts of the country and said people were "crying out" for the government to act.
"The broken society is back at the top of my agenda," Mr Cameron said."The broken society is back at the top of my agenda," Mr Cameron said.
'Criminal disease'
Over the next few weeks, he said ministers would "review every aspect of our work to mend our broken society".Over the next few weeks, he said ministers would "review every aspect of our work to mend our broken society".
He pledged a "concerted, all out war on gangs and gang culture", which he said was a "major criminal disease that has infected streets and estates across our country".He pledged a "concerted, all out war on gangs and gang culture", which he said was a "major criminal disease that has infected streets and estates across our country".
"Stamping out these gangs should be a new national priority," he said - adding that a cross-government programme would look at "every aspect of this problem"."Stamping out these gangs should be a new national priority," he said - adding that a cross-government programme would look at "every aspect of this problem".
The PM criticised parents who did not even attend court when their children were faced with rioting charges and said he wanted a "family test" applied to all domestic policies.The PM criticised parents who did not even attend court when their children were faced with rioting charges and said he wanted a "family test" applied to all domestic policies.
"If it hurts families, if it undermines commitment, if it tramples over the values that keep people together, or stops families from being together, then we shouldn't do it.""If it hurts families, if it undermines commitment, if it tramples over the values that keep people together, or stops families from being together, then we shouldn't do it."
Plans to improve parenting would be "accelerated, expanded and implemented as quickly as possible", he said, pledging to put "rocket boosters" under work to target "troubled" families.Plans to improve parenting would be "accelerated, expanded and implemented as quickly as possible", he said, pledging to put "rocket boosters" under work to target "troubled" families.
"I have a clear ambition that within the lifetime of this Parliament we will turn around the lives of the 120,000 most troubled families in the country," he said."I have a clear ambition that within the lifetime of this Parliament we will turn around the lives of the 120,000 most troubled families in the country," he said.
'Twisted''Twisted'
More police officers were needed on the streets he said, pledging to cut bureaucracy and arguing that those demanding he reverse government plans to cut police funding were "missing the point".More police officers were needed on the streets he said, pledging to cut bureaucracy and arguing that those demanding he reverse government plans to cut police funding were "missing the point".
And he said he wanted to push "further, faster" on plans to help schools discipline those who misbehave and reinforce the message that hard work pays off.And he said he wanted to push "further, faster" on plans to help schools discipline those who misbehave and reinforce the message that hard work pays off.
Ministers would look at the Human Rights Act and health and safety legislation - saying they had been "twisted" and misrepresented by some in a way that had undermined personal responsibility.Ministers would look at the Human Rights Act and health and safety legislation - saying they had been "twisted" and misrepresented by some in a way that had undermined personal responsibility.
But in a speech at his old school in north London, Mr Miliband warned against "knee-jerk gimmicks".But in a speech at his old school in north London, Mr Miliband warned against "knee-jerk gimmicks".
"The politician's instinct - reach for new legislation, appoint a new adviser, wheel out your old prejudices - will not meet the public's demand for real answers and deep rooted, lasting solutions," he said."The politician's instinct - reach for new legislation, appoint a new adviser, wheel out your old prejudices - will not meet the public's demand for real answers and deep rooted, lasting solutions," he said.
"We've heard it all in the last few days, water cannon, supercops, a daily door knock for gangs and today, more gimmicks. A prime minister, who used to say the answer was to hug a hoodie, now says the answer is to reform our health and safety laws."We've heard it all in the last few days, water cannon, supercops, a daily door knock for gangs and today, more gimmicks. A prime minister, who used to say the answer was to hug a hoodie, now says the answer is to reform our health and safety laws.
"Day by day the prime minister has revealed himself to be reaching for shallow and superficial answers, not the lasting solutions the country needs, based on the wisdom and insights of our communities.""Day by day the prime minister has revealed himself to be reaching for shallow and superficial answers, not the lasting solutions the country needs, based on the wisdom and insights of our communities."
He urged a "national conversation" about the causes of the riots - arguing that commissions had been set up after previous major disturbances to look into the causes.He urged a "national conversation" about the causes of the riots - arguing that commissions had been set up after previous major disturbances to look into the causes.
And he accused ministers of undermining police forces with "an unseemly attempt by government to take credit for operational decisions that went right and blame the police for those that didn't work out".And he accused ministers of undermining police forces with "an unseemly attempt by government to take credit for operational decisions that went right and blame the police for those that didn't work out".
In recent days, the police and the government have clashed over the handling of the police response.In recent days, the police and the government have clashed over the handling of the police response.
Home Secretary Theresa May said it was her job to tell the police what the public wanted them to do, as acting Met chief Tim Godwin accused MPs of "inconsistency of guidance".Home Secretary Theresa May said it was her job to tell the police what the public wanted them to do, as acting Met chief Tim Godwin accused MPs of "inconsistency of guidance".
Some of the Conservatives' coalition partners have also warned against "knee jerk" responses to last week's violence - Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes has warned against treating rioters in social housing differently to others by removing housing and benefits while MPs Julian Huppert and Stephen Lloyd have warned against unintended consequences of doing so.