SIR: Michael Howard and others in the government have responded to calls for a restoration of discipline in schools and order in society with warm words. But their record on the issues of crime and youth speak for itself.

Discipline problems in schools have rocketed: pupils exclusions for poor behaviour have more than tripled over recent years. Every school day, another sixty pupils are excluded. The number of young offenders found guilty or cautioned has slumped by a third in the last ten years while at the same time delays in the youth court system have increased.

Instead of offering hope, this government stands idly by as 650,000 18-25 year olds languish on the dole with no prospect of a decent job or training.

Mr Howard now suggests a citizenship award to bring order back to our society. Is that the best he can do? The fact is that the Tories have presided over the most dramatic slide into crime, disorder and moral decline in living memory. Their record offers no hope to Britain's teenagers, parents or anyone else. The Tories have failed on education and on crime. Enough is enough, it's time for a change.

Marc Schmid, Daisy Hill, Westhoughton

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