The Home Secretary, Theresa May, was interviewed on Radio 4 this morning about the riots that are taking place in London and elsewhere. In amongst the predictable politicians' claptrap, she came out with the classic response that in this country we are "policed by consent".
A grand sounding statement which actually means very little. Yes, provided the population agrees to accept the authority of the police, it works. But when a group of only a few hundred yobs who have never accepted authority from anyone - parents, schoolteachers, police, anyone - decide not to consent to being policed the outcome is anarchy.
Unless she and the government realise the enormity of the problem and tackle it head on the prospects for London and other cities are frightening.
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