Tough on crime? Britain’s new political battleground

Petty crime is emerging as a central battleground of the next election. The Prime Minister has announced headline-grabbing plans to ban laughing gas (nitrous oxide), which the Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, has described as an “increasing scourge”. This swiftly followed a big speech on law and order from the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, which unveiled ambitions to reverse rising crime rates.

Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Zoë Grünewald discuss Rishi Sunak’s big idea of “immediate justice” and whether this would win immediate votes in the local elections – or is even possible at all.

They also analyse Labour’s ambitious “tough on crime” agenda, the damning findings of the Casey report into the Met’s toxic culture, and why tackling crime is easier than tackling austerity.

In You Ask Us, they chat about Jeremy Corbyn’s future in answer to a question from a listener: should the Labour Party be a broad church?

If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus

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