PM can't impose morality - Carey

DR GEORGE CAREY warned Tony Blair yesterday that he would not be able to "impose" morality and called on him to be more precise about his crusade.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's "friendly warning" to the Prime Minister came after Mr Blair said the country needed a "new moral purpose".

Dr Carey said morality had to be taught within society rather than enforced. "Morality cannot be imposed and archbishops are living proof of this - you just cannot say to people, `This is what you must do.'

"We mustn't impose it, we can't impose it. Morality is caught and it is taught. It is caught in relationships in the home, in schools, and in churches and it's taught by us all... The details of the Prime Minister's plans; I want to know what they are and I want to find out what way the Church can play a part."

As other church leaders backed up Dr Carey's views, Mr Blair insisted he was not trying to impose anything, but could not stand aside and ignore entrenched social problems.

Gavin Drake of the Evangelical Alliance said: "We would say to Tony Blair, `Don't be put off by criticism, carry on, but don't let it just be rhetoric. Put it into action, how are you going to tackle social exclusion and poverty? How are you going to make a difference?'"