Menzies Campbell launches Liberal Democrat crime campaign

11.26.26am GMT Mon 22nd Jan 2007

Liberal Democrat Leader Menzies Campbell will today launch the party's 'We Can Cut Crime' campaign, unveiling his five steps to a safer Britain.

The event marks the start of a national campaign that will see cutting crime as the centrepiece of the Liberal Democrat run-up to the local elections in May.

Menzies Campbell will say:

"Shockingly, we live in a country where only one in every hundred crimes committed leads to a court conviction.

"Just one in every hundred.

"That means you are twice as likely to buy a winning lottery ticket as you are to be convicted in court of a crime that you have committed."

The five step plan to a safer Britain is:

· More police on patrol rather than wasting billions on ID cards

· Empowering the public to take back town centres

· Honesty in sentencing - including making life mean life

· Compulsory work and training in prison to cut reoffending

· Better compensation for victims, paid for by prison work

Menzies Campbell will add:

"To fight crime effectively, we don't need to get tougher, we need to get smarter.

"A liberal approach to crime is an honest approach to crime.

"It is based on what works rather than what sounds good.

"It targets the offender rather than the innocent.

"And it has the courage to engage with the criminal and reform their behaviour."

Applicability: this item refers to England and Wales. Due to devolution, detailed policy may be different in other areas of the UK.