Blair blocked Blunkett move to legalise prostitution

DOWNING Street blocked moves that would have effectively legalised prostitution, it was claimed yesterday.

According to reports in The Observer, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was concerned a hostile media response would wreck plans to make sex workers lives safer.

Katharine Raymond, who was an adviser to former Home Secretary David Blunkett from 2001 to 2004, said Mr Blunkett wanted to liberalise British law on prostitution several years ago.

Ms Raymond helped compile a consultation paper which she said described Britain’s prostitution laws as “outdated, confusing and ineffective”. She said it was designed to “trigger a serious debate” about legalised brothels and red-light zones managed by local authorities, and that it called for people’s views on the matter.

The paper, called Paying the Price, was published in 2004 to criticism from the media and police.

Ms Raymond said “watered-down proposals” which took “a small step in the right direction” were agreed in January this year but have not been enacted.

A spokesman for Mr Blunkett yesterday said there was no pressure from Downing Street regarding the consultation paper.

He said Mr Blunkett regretted there had not been a chance for a “sensible debate” on the issue at the time.

In a scathing attack yesterday, Ms Raymond described Britain’s prostitution laws as “a disgrace created by the interlinking of political cowardice and public indifference”.

Ms Raymond said brothels “giving women a safer place to work” should be legalised, and she highlighted the approach of other countries to the issue.

“In Australia and New Zealand brothels are regulated in the same way as other businesses and strict laws prevent soliciting in streets, or near homes and schools.

“We should pilot managed areas such as in the Netherlands, regularly patrolled by police, where sex workers are given an area where they can safely take their customers.”

She said properly managed areas such as these can help “reduced related crime and antisocial behaviour, and enhance the woman’s safety”.