TONY BLAIR has rebuked Charles Clarke, the home secretary, for failing to respond adequately to public concerns about antisocial behaviour.

According to confidential minutes, seen by The Sunday Times, of a meeting at No 10 on June 20, he warned Clarke: “We needed to address (the “respect” agenda) now, otherwise a sense of fatalism would set in.”

The prime minister has underlined his determination by instructing Louise Casey, a top civil servant, to report to him and enforce his agenda across a number of large departments.

Casey, a former deputy director of the charity Shelter and head of the Home Office’s antisocial behaviour unit, is understood to have recently been invited to Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat.

Blair is concerned that Clarke does not yet share a tough line on his respect agenda, which includes expanding antisocial behaviour orders (Asbos) and enforcing zero tolerance on even petty crimes such as graffiti.

The minute, dated June 21, suggests that Blair is frustrated that Clarke appears to be more socially liberal and tolerant than David Blunkett, his predecessor as home secretary.

Home Office insiders say Clarke is perceived by No 10 as having a different view of the respect agenda, believing it to be about persuading people to be more civil to each other through measures such as outlawing religious intolerance.

The memo states: “On respect (sic) the prime minister said this was a real issue for the public. We needed to address it now otherwise a sense of fatalism would set in. School discipline and truancy were part of the problem that needed tackling.”

It added: “The prime minister and home secretary agreed that Louise Casey, while remaining in the Home Office, should be given a wide, cross-departmental remit to ensure that the government delivered on the respect agenda.

“In addition Louise Casey should report regularly and directly to the home secretary and the prime minister. The home secretary said that he would write to the prime minister setting out how this would work in practice in the next few days.”

The minute also suggests Blair was unhappy that the debate on identity cards had got out of control, with critical attention focusing on the costs of the scheme to the public.

The prime minister told Clarke to announce a definitive cap on the costs — around £100 — by September. Both men hinted at such a move publicly last week when MPs voted on ID cards. The legislation passed through the Commons with a Labour majority of 31, but ministers face a struggle to get the bill through the Lords.

The minute also suggests Blair is frustrated with prisons policy. He told Clarke that he wanted to change the culture whereby the likelihood of offenders being sent to prison is dictated by the number of prison places, rather than whether they deserved incarceration.

On the same day of the meeting last month, the Downing Street strategy unit held an away-day to discuss the respect agenda. According to insiders, there was tension between No 10 and the Home Office. However, Home Office officials are pleased that Casey’s promotion will provide them with a direct link to the prime minister.

The tension over respect policy between No 10 and the Home Office began before May’s general election, according to Clarke’s officials. In the reshuffle that following polling day, Blair risked upsetting Clarke by taking some of his responsibilities and creating a new cabinet post of communities minister.

He appointed David Miliband, a loyal Blairite, to the post.

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