Britain in 'last-chance saloon' over society warns Iain Duncan Smith
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Britain is in "the last-chance saloon" to solve the social problems behind the riots, Iain Duncan Smith has said.
In a Spectator interview, the Work and Pensions Secretary said the unrest was "our warning" of what will happen if reforms are not made.
Mr Duncan Smith told the magazine: "There has been a lot of focus on debt and the economic crisis. Now, we have to focus on the social crisis.
"The Prime Minister made it clear that this, now, is his big focus. It is not possible to have watched or experienced any of these riots without realising that we're in the last-chance saloon.
"This is our warning. That wasn't the crisis, but the crisis is coming.
"We can't let this go on any more, and I think the Prime Minister sees that."
He predicted that the riots would change Mr Cameron's leadership in a similar way to how 9/11 impacted on Tony Blair's premiership.
"Well, I think he sees it like that. It's been a reminder to him. He's now determined this is what he wants to do," he said.
Mr Duncan Smith added that Margaret Thatcher's government had "freed up the markets, but what was missing was the next bit".
He said that Britain "ended up with a sort of mid-20th century society, many locked away in welfarism, and a 21st-century economy".
Mr Duncan Smith was confident that gangs were at the centre of the riots after "very good evidence" showed they "were co-ordinating locations".
The former Tory leader and Home Secretary Theresa May will present a report to the Prime Minister and Parliament in October on the Government's work to tackle gangs.
He said the report would contain "a proper set of recommendations with a timescale for implementation", and will "set a template for what we believe as a national position every area should do and we'll expect that to happen".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments