Tories: Looking to set the agenda

Michael Howard has pledged to stand up for the "decent law-abiding majority" of Britons.

The Conservative leader sought to play to his party's traditional strengths as he vowed to get tough on yobs.

"We will act to tilt the balance of power away from the disruptive minority in favour of the decent law-abiding majority who make up the backbone of our country," he said.

"People will face a clear choice at the next election: a choice between a Conservative government that will reward people who do the right thing and hold to account the small minority of families who don't - or five more years of pussy-footing around from Mr Blair."

Howard also pledged to give yobs "a dose of the fear" to make them realise other members of the community suffer.

"My aim is clear. I don't want members of the public looking over their shoulders - I want criminals looking round in fear," he said.

"It's time to give the yobs a dose of the fear they've been dishing out to the rest of us.

"Now I use that word deliberately - fear.

"I want these people to fear the consequences of their actions.

"Let there be no misunderstanding: I want to make them fear the consequences of their actions."

Lower crime

Drawing on his own time as home secretary, Howard was also set to point to his success in bringing crime down.

However, senior police officers have accused the Tories of spreading a misleading message about their performance.

But ahead of Howard's statement, shadow home secretary David Davis denied the party was acting irresponsibly.

"These are serious problems that have to be addressed, and we would not be responsible as an opposition if we did not make this point and challenge the government on it," he told the Radio 4 Today programme.

"'Out of control' is the right description for this I am afraid, because when Mr Blair talks about causes of crime, drink and drugs are serious causes of crime, and this government has failed to get a grip of either," he added.

Davis argued that the British Crime Survey omits "many millions" of crimes and distorts the figures.