Newspaper review: Cameron's riot pledges prominent

The prime minister's speech on his government's response to last week's riots is prominent in many newspapers.

David Cameron is <link> <caption>pictured on the front of the Guardian</caption> <url href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/15/david-cameron-broken-britain-policing" platform="highweb"/> </link> and <link> <caption>the Independent</caption> <url href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/pm-vows-war-on-gangs-after-riots-2338009.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> speaking in front of a graffiti mural.

The Guardian characterises Mr Cameron's solution to Broken Britain as "tough love and tougher policing".

The <link> <caption>Times sees it as "the big crackdown"</caption> <url href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article3135050.ece" platform="highweb"/> </link> , concentrating on the naming and shaming of child rioters and the removal of their families' benefits.

Broken record

But many papers are sceptical about David Cameron's plans.

The <link> <caption>Sun says he is beginning to sound like a broken record</caption> <url href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/" platform="highweb"/> </link> on Broken Britain, pointing out that his first pledge to do something about it was in 2007.

The <link> <caption>Daily Mirror says there was little of substance behind Mr Cameron's soundbites</caption> <url href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/08/16/the-right-diagnosis-the-wrong-solution-115875-23347817/" platform="highweb"/> </link> on helping families.

It says his pledges would have carried more weight if he had not spent been axing children's centres and funding for family intervention projects.

Unexpected backgrounds

There are many stories of individuals from unexpected backgrounds who have been charged over the riots.

The <link> <caption>Daily Telegraph says an Oxford University law graduate</caption> <url href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk" platform="highweb"/> </link> and an 18-year-old who had applied to join the RAF were among those accused.

The <link> <caption>Daily Mirror says two sons of a respected evangelist minister</caption> <url href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/08/16/church-minister-s-sons-accused-of-looting-115875-23347759/" platform="highweb"/> </link> have been charged with burglary in Croydon.

The <link> <caption>Sun says the stepson of the M25 road rage murderer Kenneth Noye</caption> <url href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3754204/M25-killer-Kenneth-Noyes-boy-is-nicked-for-looting.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> has been remanded in custody on suspicion of looting.

Couch killer?

The <link> <caption>Daily Mail asks whether our televisions could be killing us</caption> <url href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

It follows research in Australia which suggests that every hour spent watching TV, DVDs, and videos could reduce life expectancy by up to 22 minutes.

The headline on the story in the <link> <caption>Times suggests that watching too much television is as harmful as smoking</caption> <url href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/health/news/article3135296.ece" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

The <link> <caption>Independent includes figures suggesting the average Briton now spends 243 minutes a day in front of TV</caption> <url href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/new-figures-show-we-watch-more-television-than-ever-2338178.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> - up 51 seconds on 2010.