Anglin Defends the "Lambeth Miracle"

8.58.00pm GMT Wed 3rd Nov 2004

Lib Dem Parliamentary Campaigner Charles Anglin has called on local people to reject claims that Brixton and Lambeth are unsafe. Anglin, who was Lambeth Council's Crime Tsar for two years until this summer, has asked the Council to support his motion welcoming the halving of street crime in the borough.

The motion follows Tory Leader Michael Howard's claims that crime is rising in Lambeth, and Tony Blair's attempts to take the credit for falling local crime rates in Brixton.

Anglin said: "Street crime in Lambeth has fallen by 48% in the past two years, the number of crack houses has been reduced from over 80 to under 10 - this has happened because today Lambeth Council doesn't shout at the police, we work with them. There is now a joint Town Hall-Police Station team to fight crime."

He added: "This isn't about political bickering - this is about celebrating our local success. While national crime rates have risen, crime in Lambeth has been going down. That's the Lambeth miracle"