TORY leader David Cameron said he had `satisfied his inner Smiths fan' after visiting the world-famous Salford Lads Club.

But he had to abort plans to copy the band's iconic doorway pose after protesters plastered it with anti-Tory placards.

Mr Cameron instead chose to enter through the back door before taking a tour of the club.

He dismissed claims the visit was a publicity stunt: "The Salford Lads Club is still a really good example of social enterprise. It does a very good job for the community.

"I was asked to come and hear what they do and I was delighted to accept. I was in Salford talking about gun crime, and if I could at the same time satisfy my inner Smiths fan, what's the harm in that?"

Mr Cameron had earlier delivered a keynote speech on law and order at the civic centre in Swinton.

The Conservative leader accused Home Secretary Jacqui Smith of showing `staggering complacency' by describing gun crime as `thankfully rare'.

"A gun crime is committed every hour in England and Wales," said Mr Cameron.

"Since 1998, the number of gun crimes has increased by 80 per cent and gun-related violence has gone up four-fold under Labour. Our society is creeping slowly, with quiet resignation and muted resistance, to a state of cultural and social acceptance of violence in our country."

Disrespect

Mr Cameron said a `growing culture of disrespect' had taken over, with frightened people retreating `from our streets into our homes'.

He added: "Our public spaces have been taken over: "Parks where kids take drugs rather than play football. City centres filled with drunks on a weekend night. Inner-city estates with armed gangs. For many, these are the real no-go areas of our society."

He said he wanted Britain to `reclaim its streets' by rebuilding community life and restoring a sense of responsibility.

He said the Conservatives would have a zero-tolerance policy on gun and knife crime and build more prisons to house criminals.

And he pledged a `bonfire of the targets' to allow police to spend more time on the streets and less time on paperwork.

Mr Cameron accused Gordon Brown of abandoning Tony Blair's so-called `respect agenda'.

"He's actually now choosing to ignore the problem of our violent society completely," said Mr Cameron. "He talks endlessly about the long-term challenges facing Britain - but he never mentions crime as one of them. He's given up."

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