The ‘Big Idea’ underlying the legislative programme outlined in the Queen’ Speech is ‘respect’. Tony Blair rightly claims that while campaigning, the message he got from the doorsteps was that people are fed up with anti-social behaviour and the lack of respect that goes with it. This is an issue on which the PM can redeem himself after the falsehoods that led to the Iraq war. However, there are two reasons why I think current talk of ‘respect’ will lead nowhere.
First, the legislative programme deals with quite serious behaviour, for example involving knives, guns or alcohol-fuelled violence. Much of the anti-social behaviour, thankfully, is not so serious. It is, nevertheless, quite intimidating for law-abiding residents to have to endure congregations of hooded youths, not drunk or carrying weapons, but still swearing, shouting, glaring at passers by and throwing objects around. I have witnessed such low level anti-social behaviour and it is not pleasant.
It is very difficult for the government to legislate against this type of low level nuisance. There are, however, things the government can do to nurture a culture of respect and decency. This leads me to the second reason why I think nothing will come out of the current focus on anti-social behaviour.
Like on many issues, different aspects of government policy are pulling in different directions. When the spotlight is exclusively on children’s rights, they are seen as victims in need of protection. So smacking is banned. When talk shifts to anti-social behaviour, parents are berated for not bringing up their kids properly. It is widely accepted that the best environment in which to raise children is a strong family with both parents around. Yet government policies- under Labour and the Tories- have gradually chinked away at this important social institution.
A coherent approach is needed to tackling anti-social behaviour. Such an approach should recognise the importance of the family as bedrock of social stability.
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