Tony Blair today launched his flagship third-term social policy, the "respect action plan", which will see a national parenting academy, possible temporary evictions of troublesome families, and greater powers to involve the police on community issues. More than a dozen ministers are launching the plan nationwide, after the PM gave a breakfast time speech in Downing Street and a series of TV interviews to unveil the 40-page programme of incentives and punishments across housing, schooling, the judicial system and parenting.
The most controversial measure appears to be a consultation on temporary evictions of so-called neighbours from hell - even if they are homeowners rather than council tenants.
Home office minister Hazel Blears - tipped for promotion to the cabinet this week - insisted such evictions would be a "last resort" but added that those removed "would not be given a three-bedroom house", or housing benefit. Critics have suggested such families will end up in state "sin bins."
Mr Blair warned that he was not searching for a "golden age" of civility, but added he did not accept poverty was a reason for antisocial behaviour, saying: "In fact, I don't really think that is the case at all. The vast majority of people, including families on low incomes, behave perfectly properly."
The key measures of the action plan - which is a cross-departmental effort rather than an all-encompassing new bill - are published by the Home Office today. They include:
· Consulting on a new power to evict persistent troublemakers from their homes for three months.
· More parenting courses, with more agencies able to impose parenting orders on those parents who refuse to take up help when their children are "out of control".
· A "national parenting academy", to train social workers, clinical psychologists, community safety officers and youth justice workers about advising parents. Plus more parenting orders.
· Possible nighttime curfews and new, fixed penalty notices rising from £80 to £100, injunctions against antisocial behaviour, and more unpaid community service orders.
· Communities are to be given powers to grill the police on their battle with yobs and demand tougher action where they think they have failed. They must hold "face the people" sessions and respond to a "community call to action" within a set deadline.
· More money for youth clubs and sports centres, as announced in last year's pre-budget report. · A new national non-emergency number.
Mr Blair, launching the scheme with a symbolic removal of some graffiti, said he wanted a "radical new approach to restore the liberty of the law-abiding citizen". "My view is very clear - their freedom to be safe from fear comes first."
