A Conservative MP has reportedly claimed that parts of the UK are similar to the streets of Baltimore portrayed in ‘The Wire’.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling claimed in parliament that the government had allowed gang violence to get as bad as in the hit TV series.

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According to the BBC, the MP argued: “It is the poor who are the ones who have borne the brunt of the surge in violence under this government.

“Far too many of those features of what we have always seen as a US phenomenon are now to be found on the streets of Britain as well.”

However Home Office minister Alan Campbell defended Labour arguing that crime had fallen by over a third since 1997.

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He said: “We have initiatives to tackle crime that target funding to the areas with most need.

“Overall drug use is at historically low levels and robust action is ensuring drugs are being taken off the streets. Drug use has fallen since 1997.”

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