UK News 18-12-2000 Hague Fuels Race Debate who: William Hague what: Accuses Jack Straw of "sloppy thinking" where: LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: "William Hague ignored a wave of criticism yesterday," reports Melissa Kite in The Times, "and stepped up his attack on the Macpherson report on the investigation into the death of Stephen Lawrence." "Mr Hague smashed the cross-party consensus on the report," says The Independent`s Paul Waugh, "when he blamed it for a collapse in police morale and a rise in street crime." "[We should] face up to the truth that a disproportionate number of street crimes were being committed by black young men," sais Mr Hague, "often against other black people." Yesterday, in an article for The Sunday Telegraph, he effectively accused Jack Straw of "sloppy thinking, cosy assumptions and political correctness" characterised by crime-fighting cutbacks leading directly to the murder of schoolboy Damilola Taylor in Peckham. In response, former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath has denounced Mr Hague`s stance and Tory party vice-chairman Steven Norris said he agreed wholeheartedly with the Macpherson inquiry`s report. Meanwhile, TGWU leader Bill Morris compared Mr Hague`s speech to Enoch Powell`s infamous "rivers of blood" speech in 1968. [... more]

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