Labour starts campaign with police focus

Gordon Brown has launched Labour's local election campaign, pledging to focus on community policing.

The prime minister was joined by Labour's deputy leader and chairman Harriet Harman and policing minister Tony McNulty at the event in Hertfordshire on Tuesday, which concentrated on tackling antisocial behaviour.

He called for "a deal" with young people, in which "you behave yourself and we make sure that you can have better facilities for the future".

It was "absolutely crucial" to have "neighbourhood policing or locality policing", he said.

And stressing the need for "visible policing", he added: "Policing on the ground, policing where you can see your policeman and woman in your street and in your neighbourhood, policing where you know the telephone number to get in touch quickly, where you know the face of someone that can help you."

The prime minister said that Labour's promise of a neighbourhood policing unit in every community would be achieved by April 1, "with police to call upon and their mobile phone number available".

He also set out plans for "neighbourhood contracts" in which local residents and police decide on how to cut crime and improve safety in the community.

The campaign will use the slogan: "New Labour Your Britain".

In the launch document, Brown wrote that Labour would focus on "the struggles and the hopes and ambitions of hard-working families".

"The priorities of Britain's families who play by the rules are our priorities - education, the NHS, cutting crime, affordable housing and a strong economy."

The launch comes amid poor polls for the party ahead of May's local and London elections.

"Our starting point is, and always will be, the struggles and the hopes and ambitions of hard-working families," Brown told Tuesday's Mirror newspaper.

"The priorities of Britain's families who play by the rules are our priorities... education, the NHS, cutting crime, affordable housing and a strong economy."

More than 4,000 seats will be contested in England and Wales on May 1, when voters in London will also elect a mayor and assembly members.