The home secretary and the prime minister have launched a strategy for reducing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour.

David Blunkett told MPs yesterday that the government's plans would focus on both prevention and enforcement.

Under the five-year strategy, more community based officers will take to the streets - with the greater use of satellite tracking of offenders.

New measures to combat binge drinking will also be introduced.

And children as young as 10 could face on-the-spot fines for unruly behaviour.

Petty thieves and shoplifters will face £80  fines - a punishment described as "laughable" by the Conservatives.

In a keynote speech Tony Blair said Britain was paying the price of the relaxation of values seen in the 1960s.

The Mirror reports that the Home Office will reveal this week that violent crime has broken the million-offences-a-year mark for the first time.

Councils are to be given incentives to introduce congestion charging under a raft of measures to be detailed by the transport secretary today.

Alistair Darling is expected to welcome a report which proposes the introduction of widespread road user charging.

Darling is also likely to give the green light to the £10 billion Crossrail project - with the government taking what the FT describes will be a "hands-on" role in the project.

But he will effectively rip up John Prescott's 10-year plan by announcing he is abandoning the target for attracting passengers onto the rail network.

A leaked report from the think-tank Catalyst argues that renationalisation is the only way to relieve the railways of a £3 billion overspend.

A new opinion poll for the Guardian makes grim reading for Tony Blair and Michael Howard.

According to the ICM survey, more than half the country believes that the prime minister lied over Iraq.

Nearly one in three voters believe Blair should step down immediately.

But Blair's woes have failed to dent Labour's poll lead - with the party maintaining a five point advantage over the Conservatives.

According to the poll, Labour is on 35 per cent, the Tories 30 and the Lib Dems 25 points.

As the prime minister prepares for today's crucial Iraq debate, it has emerged that the government faces another Commons inquiry into the flawed intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

The foreign affairs committee meets tomorrow to discuss whether to reopen its inquiry into the Iraq war.

The decision comes after the Butler report revealed that MI6 withdrew evidence that made the case for war because it could not be relied upon.

Speculation is growing that Tony Blair is set to rehabilitate Peter Mandelson.

The key Blairite is tipped either for a return to the Cabinet or as Britain's man in Brussels.

Moves to bring Mandelson back into government are being resisted by leading Brownites, claims the Guardian.

Opinion remains divided on whether Blair will reshuffle his government before parliament rises this week.

Pensions secretary Andrew Smith has dismissed the CBI's call for the retirement age to be increased to 70 in exchange for a more generous package.

Michael Howard is poised for a summer policy blitz in a bid to move on from a post-honeymoon period in which the Tories have faltered.

The Guardian reports that some Conservatives fear their new leader is beginning to panic ahead of what many predict will be a third general election defeat.

Downing Street is the scene of talks today on the UK's £1.5 billion three-year Aids strategy.

The breakfast discussions will include a satellite link up with former South African president Nelson Mandela.

Addressing the meeting Tony Blair is expected to say that ignoring the Aids issue is "simply not an option".

The Times reports that UKIP MEPs are today set to use the first session of the new parliament to forge alliances with other sceptical parties in a bid to scupper the European constitution.

Meanwhile, while addressing students in London yesterday Michael Howard announced that the Tories will call an immediate referendum on the EU constitution if they win the next election.

Tony Blair and Lord Coe have held their first formal meeting on the UK Olympic bid.

The two met in Downing Street ahead of a reception.

The meeting came amid claims that the prime minister is not doing enough to boost the British bid.

Local government minister Nick Raynsford has announced that he is to cap the budgets of six councils.

They include Torbay Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Fenland District Council.

Geoff Hoon is poised to announce that the Oshkosh Truck Corporation is set to secure a £3 billion contract to supply the Ministry of Defence with 8,500 trucks over the next three decades.

However final government approval for a plan to build two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy has been delayed by a year, Hoon has confirmed.

The Guardian, meanwhile, reports that the minister will this week announce the gradual disbandment of four "famous name" infantry regiments.

An equivalent number of engineers and other specialists will be recruited "to sustain frontline fighting forces", suggests the newspaper.

The Commons public accounts committee has warned that museums must adopt an entrepreneurial approach if they are to continue to flourish.

In a new report the MPs say museums must generate extra income in order to develop collections and meet operating costs.

In a new report Sir Tony Atkinson has called for independent corroboration of government productivity.

The study also calls for the use of external peer reviews by bodies such as Eurostat.

The National Association of Pension Funds has warned that the government's pensions legislation could lead to the closure of many more final salary schemes and result in the end of more modern kinds of pension provision.

Ann Abraham has announced that she is to re-open her inquiry into Equitable Life.

The parliamentary ombudsman's decision effectively keeps alive compensation hopes for customers who lost out through the stricken mutual.

IN THE PRESS REVIEW

PM and Blunkett unite against crime

Darling to detail transport plans

Poll reveals Blair's woes and Howard's problems

Blair facing fresh Iraq probe

Blair prepares for Mandelson's return

Smith rejects CBI's pensions call

Howard 'panic' after poll slip

Mandela addresses Number 10 Aids meeting

UKIP moves to undermine constitution

Blair and Coe hold Olympic talks

Raynsford caps councils

Hoon to announce MoD truck deal

Museums need market spirit say MPs

Atkinson calls for productivity checks

Pensions industry issues warning

Abraham re-opens Equitable probe