Leading article: Love isn’t all you need

The language of priorities is the religion of socialism, said Nye Bevan. In fact, the setting of priorities is the basis of all practical politics. This is one of many reasons that David Cameron’s speech on social justice and crime this week was his worst error to date. It suggested — to an alarming extent — that his concerns do not mesh with those of the public.

Some of what the Tory leader said about the breakdown of the traditional family and poor standards of education was sound enough. Much of his speech to the Centre for Social Justice consisted of forgettable bromides. But his remarks on ‘hoodies’ — whether a gimmick or a protestation of sincere principle — were a grave error.

To say that ‘hoodies are more defensive than offensive’ was an insult to every nervous mother pushing her pram through a group of young and menacing men on a street corner.