Cameron calls for parental responsibility

David Cameron has said that getting parents to take proper responsibility for their children is the "task for a generation".

The Conservative leader on Thursday called for a greater sense of values to be instilled in young people.

Cameron also talked about the importance of improved policing and tougher sentences for violent offenders.

However he said that restoring respect and responsibility was the bigger and more urgent challenge.

"We need to build stronger families and more responsible communities, so that kids grow up knowing the difference between right and wrong.

"Most important of all, parents need to take the responsibility of parenthood seriously.

"That is a harder and longer task than sorting out the criminal justice system. It is a task for a generation."

The Conservative leader was speaking at a summit on family breakdown organised by the party.

Newlove

It was attended by Helen Newlove, whose husband Garry was kicked to death by youths outside his home in Warrington in August.

Cameron has been in regular contact with Newlove since her husband's death, and has agreed to help draw up policies to tackle antisocial behaviour.

She said that the breakdown of morals in Britain was so bad that children meted out violence like a video game.

"This is not a PlayStation game scenario. This is reality," she argued. "This is not a situation where you can hit save and get up the next day.

"My husband did not wake up the next day."

'Need action'

Stressing there was no "quick fix" without strong policies, she said: "We need action. Words are very cheap.

"Government goes on about gun and knife crimes as the most violent crimes of all. They are not the only violent crimes using weapons.

"Please do not be naive. They also use hands and feet every day and these are the weapons that yob culture uses to cause damage and death as if changing a pair of socks.

"These are the weapons used against my husband."