Daily View: Verdicts on MPs' riot debate
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Commentators give their verdicts of yesterday's emergency public order debate in the Parliament.
David Cameron got the tone right:
"He balanced praise for police officers with criticism of their tactics, 'which weren't working'. And he made a proposal - which was so sensible you had to ask why the law had not been changed long ago - that the police should have the power to insist on the removal of face coverings if they have reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing."
He ends with one point which wasn't mentioned:
"Everyone bemoaned the lack of social responsibility and used the word community. But no one pointed out that there was looting during the Second World War."
by David Cameron's delivery:
"For sure, Cameron can be admirably eloquent. Very occasionally, he has a Blair-ish talent for rhetoric that can capture the moment. But today, presumably thanks to being plucked from his holiday and thrown into a whirl of Cobra meetings and visits to the Midlands, he was below par. 'Absolutely no excuse ... we will not put up with this in our country... more robust and effective policing ... more discipline ...' These are mostly things than any mainstream politician has to say right now, but they sounded Dalek-esque."
that David Cameron's focus on morality avoided the crux of the issue:
"In a sense, this is simply picking up an old theme for Mr Cameron. His 'Broken Society' thinking was a major part of his politics in Opposition. However, in office, it appeared to drop down his agenda: the phrase was rarely uttered, and Mr Cameron was often shy of addressing law-and-order issues. A keynote speech on crime and policing - his first as PM - has discussed in No 10 for months now, but still hasn't been delivered."
the opposition was non-confrontational:
"With both front benches feeling equally guilty at being out of touch both literally and geographically it was clear that unanimity would be the general way out. Ed Miliband, face untouched by the sun's rays having gone to the West Country for his first break, was Dave's new BF.
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"Giving us the first real hearing of his post-nasal voice (jury still out) he echoed everything the Prime Minister said and even sounded reasonable as he asked Dave to look again at the proposed cuts in the police budget."
But what the Liberal Democrats brought to the debate:
"The public disorder debate disorder wasn't a riot as much as a defy-it (for Labour) and a deny-it (for the Tories). The Lib Dems just sat there, wringing their hands and worrying about how to analyse the phenomenon that is social media. I am not criticising because wittering is not against the law."
