LIVERPOOL’S astonishing renaissance is threatened by the “hell” of violence and binge-drinking on the streets of major cities, Tony Blair admitted yesterday. more (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/liverpooldailypost/news/regionalnews/tm_headline=drink%2Dfuelled-violence-threatens-the-new-prosperity-of-liverpool%2D-says-blair%26method=full%26objectid=18891775%26siteid=5 0061-name_page.html)

Fair points. I don't know what the problem is with some people. When I used to 'go out' and have a skinful, I didn't go around starting fights or interfering with other people's business.

I hate the town centre when the drunks tip out of the clubs, it's just ugly. Thankfully though they're always too far gone to notice me climbing, and in some cases provide excellent cover!

Its the culture that has been promoted in the media ever since shows like Ibiza Uncovered. Rather than that type of loutish behavior abroad being confined to out there and frowned upon as it was in the 80's, the media have encouraged it since then for the majority of our young people.

"In particular, Mr Blair pointed to the Albert Dock waterfront development"
Our Tony, on the ball as ever! [smirk!]

"In particular, Mr Blair pointed to the Albert Dock waterfront development"
Our Tony, on the ball as ever! [smirk!]

I thought that, its so 1980's

It looks as though Blair was making a much wider point about violence in British cities, especially the recent spate of teenage murders in London. The Post gives the impression in that first line that he was explicitly linking Liverpool to this problem - it doesn't look to me as though he was. As for Liverpool's renaissance being threatend by this. Where does he say that? Unruly behaviour in the centre of town can feel intimidating but if I'm in town on a Friday or Saturday night it doesn't exactly come as a surprise to me and I can't remember a time when it was all that different. Maybe there was less of it on the streets and it was more confined to pubs/clubs? Not sure.

I'll see if I can find an online version of his speech to find out what he did say.

Hi all

That's also my impression that he was speaking generally about violence in British cities and not singling out Liverpool especially. That is not to say though that unruliness and gang behaviour in Liverpool is not a problem.

Chris

So the mention of Liverpool was like a ligth at the end of the tunnel then in this environment of gangsters, stabbings and other murders?

That is not to say though that unruliness and gang behaviour in Liverpool is not a problem.

Though sometimes entertaining...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARThlG-gEHI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARThlG-gEHI)

Luv the way he tries to pull his kecks up! :rolleyes:

So the mention of Liverpool was like a ligth at the end of the tunnel then in this environment of gangsters, stabbings and other murders?

He probably didn't even write the speech himself.

I think it's set in the context of what is going on in London's black communities at the moment. No one wants to tackle this head on so it becomes attached to wider issues about anti-social behaviour etc.

I thought that since the new licensing laws came in that there had been a drop in the amount of anti-social behaviour in city centres. The media never show images of people having a good time and behaving responsibly. It's usually images of people vomiting, fighting, smashing things. As he says, it's a minority of people who behave in this way. The problem with politicians is because the minority who act in this fashion get such high profile media attention they feel obliged to pass laws/make statements that are reactive rather than properly thought through.

What is fuelling killing in the black community needs to be tackled in a different way from fights caused by an excess of alcohol and what is creating social discord in Norris Green needs to be tackled in a very different way from residents making complaints about naughty boys and girls skateboarding down Aigburth Hall Avenue.

One size never fits all.

Luv the way he tries to pull his kecks up! :rolleyes:

Makes me sick that Lid :PDT_Xtremez_42:

Snappel, the next time i'm staggering outta the big house (which now resembles the Grafton with the over 40s karaoke on a friday night) - I shall be looking for you clambering up scaffolding and onto the Futurist roof :)

I sometimes pick my girls up from Sunrise at 6 am sunday mornings because I don't trust what might be lurking in that area at that time of the morning, especially the dark mornings but can I tell em' - no I can't, i'm becoming my dad.

It's no good mentioning to scallies how great the Albert dock, the Met Quarter, trendy apartments or the Grosvenor development are as they all feel disenfranchised from it in their run down estates where they see little happening. I know it's wrong to think like that but it's the mindset of a small minority that do spoil it for others and the same can be said of any city really. Snappel is right though, as tough as our areas were in the 70s and 80s, we didn't see the need to cause trouble in town. Guns were on American t.v. cop shows and knives were for cutting your grub.

He probably didn't even write the speech himself. A given and, true to form, the Daily Post injected the name 'Liverpool' into, what was essentially, a none Liverpool story.

Though sometimes entertaining...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARThlG-gEHI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARThlG-gEHI)

Luv the way he tries to pull his kecks up! :rolleyes:

I love the first comment... Haha, propa scouse that.

Another spin on the soon to be ex-PM's speech in Cardiff:

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/party-politics/party-politics/blair-target-black-gang-leaders-$470732.htm (http://www.politics.co.uk/news/party-politics/party-politics/blair-target-black-gang-leaders-$470732.htm)