IN response to your question of whether a Labour Government has failed in clearing up crime, well, according to the facts they most certainly have.

Nigel Adams (LET, September 8) makes the point that to crack crime, we have to tackle the epidemic of drugs amongst the young and the fall in discipline in schools. This is certainly true, but in addition to this, criminals should also serve a full sentence when convicted. They do not under this government.

Worryingly, Labour has announced that thousands of long-term prisoners could be freed on electronic tags under plans to relax the rules of its early release scheme.

The scheme is currently open to prisoners serving less than four years in prison. Labour's proposals to extend the scheme could mean that offenders serving seven years for drugs offences or street robbery could be freed early.

Since Labour introduced the scheme, more than 80,000 prisoners have been released early. More than 1,100 have committed crimes whilst under curfew -- including rape, murder and robbery.

Prisoners are being released before they are reformed and before they have paid their debt to society. This is a scandal.

Coun JACQUELINE SLATER, Minster Crescent, Darwen.