Broken Britain claims rejected

Sep 23 2008

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith have dismissed claims of "broken Britain".

Their comments come following a visit to a project which is aimed at tackling inner city youth crime.

They had spent half-an-hour with a group of 13 and 14-year-old girls in an area plagued by endemic gang violence.

The girls are taking part in the Reclaim project at the Urbis arts centre.

It takes girls and boys from south Manchester and aims to steer the youngsters away from crime and give them self-respect outside gangs.

Ms Blears said: "It's a really important project because what it's doing is bringing girls together from different areas of south Manchester which in the past has had a pretty difficult reputation.

"I think empowering young women like this is one of the most important things you can do. It has been quite an inspiration for me.

"They want a different future for themselves and they are determined to make it happen."

She said: "I don't accept Britain is broken. We are not only doing it now, this is one of a number of projects that's been going on for a number of years.

"I think what we are doing here is sowing the roots of something that for many years to come will make a big difference."