For the record I have a lot of time for Tony Blair and think he was a decent PM, did not always agree with all his ideas – but believed his heart was in the right place – plus being buddies with Bush gave him extra brownie points (big grin)

However, when this weekend, he came up with his bizarre if not fantasist claims that – England’s riots shouldn’t be blamed on ‘moral decline’ – I was a little surprised. More so because he tried to play the “that kind of talk threatens to harm the country’s reputation abroad” card! Doesn’t he own Sky or some cable TV provider – our reputation throughout the riots was being trashed on a 24/7 loop all over the world in hundreds of different languages and dialects – so much so that China asked if London was at all capable of holding the Olympics in under a year’s time! So, again, which riots was he watching!!?

Admitting that he was guilty of similar reaction to the murder of Jamie Bulger in 1993 – was commendable if late – surely he did not just realise he was wrong? But to pretend that Britain today does not have a social problem when the whole world witnessed the London Riots is irresponsible. It’s akin to sweeping and burying bad news, because it gives people false hope and sends the wrong message when neither will help tackle the problem.

Blair said: “following the Bulger case, I made a case in very similar terms to the one being heard today about moral breakdown in Britain. I now believe that speech was good politics but bad policy. Focus on the specific problem and we can begin on a proper solution.” Nice one, but how do we begin a ‘proper solution’ if we don’t properly and accurately identify the problem?

‘Moral Decline’ is harsh – but for many years politicians danced to the tune of publicity, reelections, and popularity mostly at the cost of honesty and facing the harsh realities. That is why it’s refreshing when a politician is unafraid and calls it as it is. Let’s face it, we have a problem and it desperately needs solving. But for that to happen, all of us need to acknowledge and call it what it is – as painful and as ugly as that might be we must all be honest. Pretending it’s something else to avoid ‘being negative’ and ‘not to depress ourselves’ or upset others is not responsible politics. The concern should be more about the urgency needed to rescue those young people who clearly have serious issues with authority, discipline, their purpose and self-worth rather than subtleties.

In closing, there is one thing I do agree with Mr. Blair on – and that’s the police needs to know they have strong support and they need to know that it comes from both the politicians and the public, and would add that they did a brilliant job with almost one hand tied behind their backs just imagine what they can do with both hands.

Many people think a six month jail sentence for stealing a £3.50 pack of bottled water is harsh and unfair. Councils using eviction powers against those who committed crimes is a knee jerk reaction and jail sentences for first time cyber criminals is over the top. For them these punishments were disproportionate to the crimes committed – but that’s exactly why in these particular cases the use of a sledgehammer to crack what looks like a nut is very appropriate.

First, no one needs to steal water or a pack of gum and secondly where do we draw the line. Those thefts were needless whichever way we look at them – and that’s precisely why 6 month in prison will be a lesson for the thief and a warning to others. The same applies to local authorities who want to employ stricter rules with their tenants – it’s their business and they should have the freedom to run and manage it as they see fit.

As for Jordan Blackshaw and Perry Sutcliffe – Keenan receiving a four years jail sentence for causing panic and revulsion by using Facebook to incite rioting – inciting war against the state is a very serious crime and therefore deserves an equally grave punishment.

Unlike many fellow conservatives I disagree with shutting down social media for any amount of time regardless of the reasons. Because shutting down will only temporally halt the problem and in this ever evolving cyber world we need our security services to always be one step ahead of the criminals and not succumb to them by shutting down. That’s why I believe in handing those who commit serious crimes very serious punishments. Four years imprisonment is suitable for the crime because calling for panic, revulsion and inciting unrest is equally dangerous as jihadists’ videos calling for war against the enemies of Islam.

Punishment should always reflect the crime. Rioting, looting, burning and the destruction of personal and public property are all acts of war – whether the loot is worth £3.50 or £3.5M the punishment, as the case is here, should fit the crime which is war against the community and the state.

In a sentence, our Police are heroes, the rioters are zeros and the courts in some cases need to get real.

In my opinion, we have the best police. They can command respect, maintain order and fully understand the culture of the communities they serve without violence or the use of a fire arm. For someone who lived in Africa where a policeman have the right to slap a member of the public first then asks questions later, and in the US where officers draws their gun at the same time they announce themselves –I never once felt intimidated or in danger around the British Police.

Judging by last weeks riots control, the speed by which they identified offenders and murderers and brought them to justice – it must be said; the police have done an outstanding job and deserve our gratitude and appreciation. But going forward they could do more if they are freed from box ticking and form filling targets, if their hands are untied from political correctness, health and safety and of course if the public and the politicians stopped using them as a grand standing punching bag. We have one of the best police forces respected the world over, we should let them know it and allow them be the best they can.

Looking closely at the riots, it is very clear they were not started by the same peaceful law obeying citizens who marched outside Tottenham Police Station looking for answers form the police. Those who, looted, burned and caused public unrest were hoodlums; un- invested, disconnected and had no interest or cared what happens to anyone beside themselves. But the liberals amongst us will have you believe they are victims of our society, fatalities of bankers’ bounces, politicians misbehaving and the responsibility of everything and everyone but their own families – and because of that we need to understand them and get where they’re coming from as if these thugs even care what anyone thinks of them.

We saw the TV interviews with the looters – not their defenders and those using every iota of oxygen to explain why – but the offenders themselves and they were very clear why they did it. Because they can!

As for the judges who sat all night to pass sentences they deserve our gratitude however and particularly in this occasion, some need to leave their liberal compassion at the door. Because this is an opportunity for them to send a clear and firm message, a chance to set a precedent that on this shores we are tolerant but mean business.

Hearing that an illegal immigrant was given a lighter sentence so he isn’t deported sends the wrong signal. I don’t have the full details and I’m not a legal know it all – but going by what has been reported – in this instance we needed more than ever before to not say we regard the wellbeing of the few at the expense of the many – that’s unfair and all together sends the wrong message!

It’s almost a week since the rioting first started in Tottenham and spread to parts of London and other cities in the country. What began as a peaceful protest has fast turned into social unrest copied across the country, with looting and burning and it cost five innocent people their lives and many more their businesses, homes and private properties. It sparked debates on entitlement, personal responsibility, parenting and the relationship between the state, the police and the public. It was ugly to watch, difficult to understand and it changed many lives for ever.

But like every cloud, as dark and as destructive this cloud was, it also had a silver lining.

The lessons learned in policing – regarding their numbers, the powers they have and able to employ and the public’s understanding of them have all improved. Politicians saw the damage some past decisions had on their communities and understood the need to altering and strengthening them. The public acknowledge that the state has many duties but some such as parenting and personal responsibility are not one of them.

Best of all we saw how as a society we Britons are stronger when we come together and unite behind all that is good about our culture. We might not always know who lives next door to us or even talk to one another but where it counts, we always unite!

The riots cost us lives and money but at the same time they gave us back our sense of unity and opened our eyes to the cancer of dependency and the mistakes of the past that might have been intended as compassion to those who need a hand up but held back a generation. Now going forward we can use what we learned to rescue those welling to be saved, reprimand those who offended and build a brighter hopeful future for the next generations.

Who said good can’t be born out of evil – what we saw happen this week in London and other cities across the country is a testament that it can.

Several Labour politicians – some more subtly than others – are desperately trying to pin the recent riots on cuts and benefit reforms and that in my opinion is short sighted and political suicide. Especially as most areas affected by the recent riots are strong Labour areas!

The looters, they are trying to excuse and defend, nine times out of ten are not the voting types – nor are they the political campaign supporting kind either.

However, those businesses, their owners and their families are. In addition to that, these business owners are more likely to be rooted in their community. They are most probably the ones the community respects and go to for support in youth programmes and projects, and they are most likely the ones asked to help out when organizations fall short of funds or need a top up or to pilot some new projects – and in many cases they are the voice and leaders of those communities. The larger businesses are the ones that offer work experience to young people and donate pro bono services to the public. In other words, they are the group that can help change things to the better not the other way round.

That’s why every time a lefty lamely attempts to excuse the criminals and reluctantly condemn their behaviour I want to scream at the box “You stupid idiot, politics has rot your brains and you need a new one”.