TONY BLAIR risked a fresh clash with the legal establishment yesterday when he targeted a “distant” justice system that most believed let people get away with breaking the rules.

In his latest assault on the criminal justice system and human rights laws, the Prime Minister rounded on those who failed properly to supervise drug offenders and criminals who have been given community punishment.

Mr Blair reiterated his oft- repeated call for a shake-up of the criminal justice system to ensure that the security of the law-abiding is put ahead of the rights of offenders.

The Prime Minister said it was time for a “profound rebalancing” of the debate on civil liberties to ensure that wrongdoers pay the penalty for breaking the rules.

He was speaking after a string of high-profile cases in which prisoners released early from jail have committed murders while on licence, as well as a High Court ruling — condemned as “inexplicable” by John Reid, the Home Secretary — that nine Afghan hijackers should be allowed to stay in Britain.

His comments were dismissed by opponents as an attempt to “relaunch” the party after bruising weeks of negative headlines, internal feuding and poor election results. Lawyers also attacked the Prime Minister and said his criticism of human rights laws was a “smokescreen” to hide the Government’s failure to deliver on law and order.

The Prime Minister, speaking at the start of a Labour consultative initiative, said that the criminal justice system was the public service “most distant” from what reasonable people expected.

“I think what people want is a society without prejudice but with rules — rules that are fair, rules that we all play by and rules that if they are broken carry a penalty,” he said.

“The truth is most people believe that we don’t live in such a society today.”

Mr Blair signalled that, despite identifying the problems four years ago and more than 40 law and order Bills since Labour came to power, he now thinks that far-reaching reform is needed to tackle the problem. “The criminal justice system is the public service most distant from what reasonable people want. I believe we need a profound rebalancing of the civil liberties debate.”

Mr Blair added: “We should not have to fight continual legal battles to deport people committing serious crimes or inciting extremism.

“We cannot allow violent or drug-abusing offenders to be put back out on the street again without proper supervision and, if necessary, restraint. We cannot have bail requirements, probation orders or community sentences flouted without proper penalty” In fact, drug-abusing offenders are given treatment and supervision, while offenders given community sentences are expected to be monitored by the Probation Service to ensure that they keep to the terms of the order.

Senior legal figures reacted with fury or incredulity last night to the Prime Minister’s assault on the human rights laws that are a flagship statute of his own Government.

Times Recommends

• Times Christmas appeal: Letter from the Editor
• Conferences — what a waste of money
• Schools supremo learns a painful lesson