The Wardman Wire

Chris Grayling’s comparisons between Britain and The Wire are nothing short of bonkers. Furthermore, his comments are scare mongering nonsense very deliberately designed to appeal to the “Broken Britain” school of journalism which is based more on sensationalism and fear than anything to do with reality and fact. Just like the TV series Mr Grayling has barely even watched, his assessment on Britain’s society is pure fantasy.

While I might expect this sort of reporting from Daily Express, in between an exclusive on Diana Princess of Wales’ murder revelations, I would really hope a shadow Home Secretary would be a little more in touch. If Grayling really thinks that London is like the Baltimore portrayed in The Wire, then God help us if he ever gets his hands on the Home Office job.

I do not think for one second Grayling made these comments for any other reason than to tap into the false perception that Britain is full of drug dealers, knife wielding teenagers and gun slinging gangsters in order to do down the opposition. It was not a real attempt to tackle any serious issue. Yes in each of those categories London and the rest of the UK has its quota – just like every other country. But like so much of the lazy journalism that occurs in this country – and I fear to say like some of the shadow cabinet’s tactics as an opposition holding the government to account – their rhetoric is based on extremes and not fact.

Let’s do something Grayling either didn’t do, or deliberately ignored: look at the evidence.

According to crime statistics there were 276 homicides in Baltimore in 2006, the second-highest homicide rate per 100,000 of all U.S. cities of 250,000 or more population. Though this is significantly lower than the record-high 379 homicides in 1993, the homicide rate in Baltimore is nearly seven times the national rate, six times the rate of New York City, and three times the rate of Los Angeles.

That gives Baltimore a murder rate of 43 per 100,000. Compare that with the UK as a whole, who has a murder rate of 2.03 per 100,000. If you take just England and Wales the rate is just 1.37 per 100,000. London’s rate is about 2.4 per 100,000. Even in the roughest areas of the toughest inner city areas in the UK the rates are just a fraction of that of Baltimore.

The fact is England and Wales have one of the lowest murder rates not just in Europe but the world. Lower than Australia, lower than Sweden, lower than France, lower than New Zealand. Even if you add Scotland into the equation, who as we all know have their own Justice secretary these days, Britain is still one of the safest places on planet earth if you want to avoid getting a bullet or knife wedged into you.

I am not for one second suggesting we live in paradise – far from it. Britain has drink and drug problem, it has an anti-social behaviour problem and despite the relatively low murder rates there are still too many people being killed on our streets. But why on earth is the man who would be Home Secretary looking to tackle the problem by providing misinformation and scaring the masses? It is quite simply irresponsible. That is no basis for a government in waiting to handle one its most serious policy challenges.

Cheer up folks, this country is not nearly as bad as those with agendas would have us believe.