Letter: Labour policies for the future

Sir: Your article 'Labour to learn the lesson of Clinton' (4 January) linked the visit of my Shadow Cabinet colleagues Gordon Brown and Tony Blair to the United States with a revival of interest within the Labour Party on the issues of crime and law and order.

In case of any misunderstanding in respect of Labour's debate on this important issue, and it being confused with the adoption of Bill Clinton's programme or campaign approach, it is worth pointing out that some of us have been advocating exactly this incorporation of policies relating directly to the concerns of men and women up and down Britain for some considerable time.

Through articles and speeches the adoption of a much more vigorous approach on crime and vandalism, noise and nuisance predated what appears now to be seen as the watershed of the US presidential election.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID BLUNKETT

MP for Sheffield Brightside

(Lab)

House of Commons

London, SW1

5 January