TONY BLAIR will attempt to regain the political initiative next week by presenting his long-awaited “respect” agenda with a new crackdown on unruly children.

The plans, which have been bogged down in a departmental turf war, will be presented on Tuesday when ministers tour the country setting out new measures to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Young tearaways will be targeted with control orders and night-time curfews even before they commit a criminal offence. And new powers will allow local authorities to apply for orders forcing parents to control unruly children.

Those whose children are considered likely to offend will be compelled to attend behavioural classes.

Mr Blair will try to put a positive gloss on the plan by emphasising new youth services, sports facilities and after-school activities.

Critics of the respect agenda say it is doomed to failure, with ill-defined goals and no proper measures of success.

Antisocial behaviour will be at the top of the political agenda this year and will feature prominently in the local election campaign in May. Labour faces the threat of wipe-out in London with a dozen town halls under threat.

Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, has been appointed to run the London elections in the hope that Labour can cash in on its Olympic success and focus attention on the attendant regeneration in the capital.

Mr Blair plans to play a prominent role in the campaign, which may be his last as leader. Ms Jowell has written to all her other ministerial colleagues requesting that they allocate two dates for campaigning in the capital.

Lord Gould of Brookwood, a polling adviser to the Prime Minister, has told him that people are feeling detached from local politics and that the party must get down to basics and be prepared to talk about wheely bins and rubbish collection to reconnect.

A disastrous showing for Labour in London could precipitate an earlier departure for Mr Blair than he intends.

Labour insiders say that they are “realistic” about their prospects, with the Tories certain to do well under their new leader, David Cameron.

The Liberal Democrats may also have a new leader in place.

Respect and yobbish behaviour will play a key role in the London campaign. A government source said that there were already very encouraging signs that the antisocial behaviour programme was working.

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