Blair plans six 'safety and security' Bills
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Your support makes all the difference.Tony Blair will play the law and order card by making "safety and security" the main themes of the last parliamentary session before the general election.
Tony Blair will play the law and order card by making "safety and security" the main themes of the last parliamentary session before the general election.
The Cabinet has agreed a draft programme of legislation including six Bills to tackle problems ranging from antisocial behaviour to global terrorism. It is designed to respond to growing fears among the public about crime and to wrongfoot both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats on the issue of law and order.
Ministers will challenge the two opposition parties to fast-track the measures into law before the next election, which is expected to take place in May.
"We are going to ensure that law and order is debated in the Commons every day in the six months before the election," one Blair aide said yesterday.
The move raises prospect of a "security election" in Britain - as the presidential race is being seen in the United States. Labour will portray the resurgent Liberal Democrats as "soft" on crime and attempt to spike the guns of the Tories, who plan a major offensive on the issue shortly.
The list of Bills, disclosed to The Independent, will be unveiled in the Queen's Speech in November. It includes the controversial proposal by David Blunkett to set up a national identity card scheme, which could run into opposition in the House of Lords.
Peers could also delay the Home Secretary's plans to reform the anti-terrorism laws, which may lower the burden of proof to make it easier to convict suspected terrorists. Secretly-taped telephone calls could be used in evidence for the first time, and cases would be heard by judges sitting without juries.
A Safer Neighbourhoods Bill would step up the Government's crackdown on antisocial behaviour, extending the range of offences for which on-the-spot fines of up to £80 could be imposed. Local authorities would get new powers to deal with graffiti, flyposting and minor vandalism.
Another measure would set up a serious organised crime agency (Soca), with 5,000 investigators to combat so-called "Mr Bigs", which has been described as a "British FBI".
A Protection of Children Bill would implement recommendations from the inquiry into the Soham murders by Sir Michael Bichard, who called for a register and possible identity card system for people working with children.
A shake-up of the sentencing system will be portrayed as introducing "tough" community-based penalties, but is also designed to stem the rise in the prison population.
Mr Blair has not ruled out further legislation on asylum, although the issue may be covered by the Bill to phase in ID cards from 2007-08.
After damaging Labour rebellions over foundation hospitals and university top-up fees, Mr Blair has scrapped plans for further public service legislation in an attempt to buy peace with his MPs. There will be a Bill to abolish the Strategic Rail Authority, but this will be supported by most Labour backbenchers.
More than 20 Bills will be included in a "business as usual" programme, although several are bound to run out of time if the election is held in May. They would be re-introduced if Labour retains power.
Europe will be the other main issue in the next parliamentary session, which starts in November. A Bill would ratify the new constitution agreed by EU leaders last month and allow the Government to call a referendum on it.
Other measures include the Constitutional Reform Bill - to set up a supreme court and judicial appointments commission, and scrap the office of Lord Chancellor - which will be carried over from the current session of parliament after running into objections in the Lords.
LEGISLATION IN THE QUEEN'S SPEECH
* Set up a national identity cards scheme
* Create a serious organised crimes agency
* Streamline anti-terrorism legislation
* Crack down on antisocial behaviour
* Reform the sentencing system, protect children after the Soham murders
* Approve the new European Union constitution and a referendum on it
* Scrap the Strategic Rail Authority
* Create a supreme court and scrap the post of Lord Chancellor
* Liberalise the laws on gambling
* Modernise charity law
* Create pilot schemes for school transport to reduce road congestion
* Curb the cost of criminal legal aid
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