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Cameron blames moral failure for UK riots

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday that the riots that have hit the country are "a moral problem as much as a poltical problem".

Reuters/Darren Staples
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Cemeron told a press conference that parts of Britain's society were "sick" and blamed a lack of personal responsibility for the violence and looting that has taken place over the last four nights.

The issue is connected to parenting, discipline, morals and the current welfare system, he said.

But Cameron defended his government's decision to reduce police funding by 20 per cent over the next few years, saying that the cuts would not reduce police presence on Britain's streets.

He confirmed that both the British parliament and the British crisis response committee, Cobra, will meet early on Thursday morning to discuss a response to the situation.

On Tuesday night:

  • In Manchester gangs smashed their way into shoe shops and looters broke into a major shopping centre, while a clothes store was set on fire;
  • In Birmingham, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton youths clashed with police;
  • In Nottingham a police station was firebombed;
  • In Bristol a jewellery store was targeted;
  • In Liverpool cars were torched and police were pelted with missiles;
  • In Leicester 14 people were arrested after city centre buildings were attacked;
  • London was calm with 16,000 police  on the streets - hundreds of Sikhs camped out overnight in Southall and local people were on the streets of Eltham to deter looters.

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