Home secretary David Blunkett has attacked "bleeding-heart liberals" who have campaigned against sentences passed against those involved in the 2001 Bradford riots.

Some rioters have received custodial sentences of several years, after the events of last summer caused millions of pounds worth of damage to the city.

"The police have done a really good job and at least the courts are handing out sentences that are a genuine reprisal but also a message to the community. For every sentence, for every tough new law, there's some bleeding-heart liberals wanting to get them off, get them out and reduce their sentence," he told business leaders in his Sheffield Brightside constituency.

"These maniacs actually burnt down their own job opportunities. They discouraged investment in their areas."

Blunkett also attacked the media for criticising rising crime statistics.

"The more you get crimes reported, the more reported crimes goes up, the more I get slagged off by the all-knowing, less-understanding national press."

He also claimed that the BBC's Crime Day, which will be broadcast in two weeks' time, will be "a whole day of frightening everybody to death about crime".

The claim was rejected by the corporation, which pointed out that the home secretary will take questions from the public in a one-hour session on September 18.

Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin described him as a "Christian Stalinist."

"The home secretary is never happier than when he is playing he hard man of the Right," he said.

So far, 90 people have been sentenced for their parts in the Bradford riots, with another 57 awaiting their day in court.