DAVID CAMERON arrived back in Downing Street early yesterday to confront Britain’s biggest law-and-order crisis in a generation – aware that the political impact could far outlast the fires lit by rioters.
The prime minister came of age in the 1980s, an era when Margaret Thatcher’s confrontational style of government came to be epitomised by images of the burning streets of Brixton and Toxteth and the poll tax riots in Trafalgar Square.
The circumstances may be different, but some Labour politicians are trying to link the scenes on Britain’s streets – sparked by a police shooting in north London – to government austerity policies.
Mr Cameron needs to regain control of events quickly, or risk forever having his premiership illustrated by images of burning furniture stores and feral gangs. It is a long way from his optimistic 2006 declaration: “Let sunshine win the day”.
In the short term, Mr Cameron faces his sternest test of leadership.
Having returned from his holidays – belatedly, according to critics – he could earn respect if he can show he has a grip on the trouble.
“I think David Cameron has taken a huge gamble in just increasing police numbers on the streets,” says Tim Montgomerie, editor of the ConservativeHome website. “If everything recurs again tonight and if he doesn’t grab hold of the situation and restore order in the next 24 to 48 hours, it is going to be his version of George W Bush’s Hurricane Katrina.” Even if the violence recedes, Labour believes that the political landscape will change dramatically.
Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, has declined to excuse the looters’ behaviour, but believes that the events reinforce his central message that Britons – whether hoodies in Tottenham or investment bankers in the City – need to show more “responsibility”. Mr Miliband is not going to make the mistake of appearing to forge political capital from the riots, but others in his party are more than willing to do so.
“If you’re making massive cuts, there’s always the potential for this sort of revolt,” said Ken Livingstone, Labour’s candidate for London mayor.
While such comments have been denounced, Mr Cameron’s cuts programme – reducing social spending and police numbers – has just become even harder.
Whatever the prime minister’s certainty that the riots reflect nothing more than wanton criminality, some on the left will portray this as a defining moment, when a public school elite running Britain lost touch with the country.
Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former communications chief, said: “The current cabinet has the potential to look out of touch with a lot of people.” Mr Campbell also thinks the looting of luxury goods could be the dark flipside of widespread public anger with City greed.
“People still feel angry about the banks,” he said. “They feel the crisis is not their fault but they were the ones who were hit the hardest.”
Labour believes that the riots could also affect Boris Johnson’s chances of a second term in next year’s mayoral elections – if he is seen to have mishandled the crisis.
“People will realise that being London mayor is an important job – it’s not about light entertainment,” said one Labour official. Mr Livingstone was widely praised when he was the previous mayor for his response to the 2005 terrorist attacks on London.
For Mr Cameron, the early breezy optimism of his premiership has been replaced by a grim mood of crisis management.
Parliament has not been recalled for nine years, but Mr Cameron has found himself being forced to recall politicians for emergency sessions twice in two months – first for the phone-hacking scandal and now the breakdown of law and order. – (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011)