Respect just won’t wash

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Monday 30th Jan 2006.

I am sure we Swindonians are appreciative of Tony Blair's recent visit to show us how to wash a wall. However, I would like to add my concerns to those expressed by Shirley Mathias and solicitor Martin Guyll-Wiggins.

It is said householders who act anti-socially may be thrown out of their homes for three months under the Respect measures.

So who will protect the empty properties in their absence? They will become targets for burglars and vandals. It is equally likely that families returning to their homes will be subjected to vengeful anti-social behaviour the very thing Mr Blair wants to stamp out.

And what about infants in the families who are evicted are they to be punished too? It doesn't take much imagination to foresee what kind of reception children will get at school when it becomes known that they have been forced from their homes, even if they are innocent. Bullying is enough of a problem, without adding another class of potential victims to the list.

I understand, too, that problem families may be deprived of benefits. Again, it will be the children who will suffer.

The wall-washing debacle was a good indication of some of the measures it was intended to publicise: inept, misguided and an insult to one's intelligence.

It won't wash, Mr Blair!

B Jones.

Swindon

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