Labour has pledged to cut violent crime within 12 months, in the wake of new crime figures showing a rise in assaults and sex offences.

Admitting that "levels of crime are still far too high" Tony Blair has said that crime has fallen under Labour overall, in contrast to rises under the Conservatives.

And he promised to cut crime rates by 15 per cent by 2008, through a strategy of more police officers and more community support officers - creating a "uniformed presence in every neighbourhood".