ACCORDING to a major survey, England and Wales have the second highest number of crime victims in the western world, with 28 for every 100 citizens.

On top of this, the chairman of the Police Federation says that police morale is the worst that he has ever seen it.

Before the last general election, Labour made 10 specific pledges on crime to the British people and has broken every one of them.

Now, with a general election around the corner, they have come up with a 10-year strategy on crime in the hope that the public will forget their woeful record on this issue since coming to power.

I believe the British people are tired of talk and photo opportunities, which is all Jack Straw seems to do.

Labour governments have always been weak on crime and this government, for all its fine rhetoric, is no different.

COUNCILLOR D PEARSON,

Rawstorne Street, Blackburn.