Michael Howard used a speech in the north east yesterday to set out his stall on law and order issues.

Seeking to reoccupy traditional Tory territory, Howard vowed to address the "breakdown in respect" over recent decades.

The former home secretary called for the restoration of old-style values.

"Many people now believe that they are no longer wholly responsible for their actions. It's someone else's, or something else's fault - the environment, society, the government," Howard said.

He also pledged that he would "stand up for the silent, law abiding majority who play by the rules and pay their dues".

"Like them, I have had enough of the culture of political correctness, which is designed to blur the distinction between right and wrong," he said.

The Conservative leader also pledged to reduce the bureaucratic burdens on police officers.

He criticised a recommendation put forward in the McPherson report into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence that officers should keep a record of every stop they make.

"On average, it will take about seven minutes to fill in the paperwork for each individual stop," warned Howard.