Blair Babes

Well, here's a thing: not only has New New Labour taken Britain into the championship league as far as child incarceration is concerned; New New Labour has manifested its belief in traditional family values by incarcerating record numbers of women as well. The number of women in custody has risen by over fifty per cent since the start of the Vicar of Downing Street's ministry; and, as might be expected given New Labour's record of concern for the vulnerable, the biggest increases are among older women and those with mental health problems although, as with the male of the species, remarkably few of these prisoners are former Members of Parliament. A spokesbeing for the Ministry of Tough said that, having placed so many vulnerable women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, into custody, New New Labour is "committed to diverting vulnerable women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, from custody", and is about to spend £15.6 million over the next two years in order to reverse the policy of the last decade, which apparently happened while New New Labour wasn't looking.