A new row has broken out between the Tories and Labour over how to tackle Britain's crime problem.

Speaking during a visit to the south coast on Wednesday, Tory leader Michael Howard said parts of the government's plans were "absurd".

Red tape and bureaucracy is preventing police officers from doing their jobs, he added.

Under government rules, officers are asked to complete forms whenever they stop someone in the street.

"We are told it will take seven minutes on average for a police officer to fill in the forms, and we are not talking about stop and search here," Howard said.

"We are talking about every time a police officer simply stops someone in the street and says 'what are doing here and where do you live?'.

"It's absurd and it's a very good example of the kind of political correctness and paperwork that is stopping officers doing their jobs."

However, the Conservative leader accepted that the government's anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) could make a "useful contribution" to fighting crime.

And he added that his party's policies to "save money through our asylum policies" would also enable more police officers to be recruited.

But responding to the criticisms, Labour said Howard had "no credibility".

"Despite talking tough, Michael Howard presided over a massive cut in police numbers as home secretary with 1,132 fewer police on our streets in 1997 than when he took over in 1993," said Home Office minister Paul Goggins.

"The Tories since 1997 have consistently opposed and criticised Labour's successful measures to tackle young offenders.

"They were critical of ASBOs, tried to water down the powers of community support officers and did not support parts of Labour's Anti-Social Behaviour Act such as the powers to disperse gangs of young people from street corners."