Labour crackdown on disorder

Speaking during a visit to Aberdeen, Mr McConnell said there would be no let-up in Labour's campaign to protect Scotland's communities from a lawless minority.

He said: "In 2003, Scottish Labour very deliberately stood on a platform to crack down on antisocial behaviour and to get our justice system on the side of victims and witnesses.

"The communities that we represent were crying out at that time to be heard - vandalism and disruption and disorder by a minority were making the lives of the majority a misery in local communities. Labour was the only political party to hear their cry then and make sure the system was on their side."

Mr McConnell said that the new antisocial behaviour orders, dispersal powers and other initiatives had proved successful where they had been used.

But he continued: "It is very true that across Scotland that are some local authorities - there have even been some police forces or police divisions - that have been reluctant to pursue the new orders and would prefer to take a more softly, softly approach, trying to encourage youngsters to commit less vandalism or persuade them that their activities are causing problems in the community.

"Labour's approach is that we need to have fresh activities as a positive carrot for young people, but there also needs to be a stick. And we have to be in a position where the police and authorities can take action. Young people need to learn the difference between right and wrong and the authorities need to use those powers.

"And where the authorities are not using the powers, we made clear in our manifesto we will look at ways of ensuring that they do."

Cathy Jamieson, the party's justice spokeswoman, also announced that Labour would introduce a new American-style "payback scheme" for offenders involved in low-level crime and public disorder to ensure that more offenders literally pay back the community through community work schemes.