When a prime minister decides it is time to make a speech about crime, it is generally also time to look at the state of the polls. David Cameron made such a speech on Monday and, sure enough, the polls show his party is in trouble. The latest Guardian/ICM survey has the Conservatives stuck eight points behind Labour, 33% against Labour's 41%. The prime minister's crime speech also follows one of the most demoralising weeks for the Tories since the "omnishambles Budget" in March ? a week that included the Andrew Mitchell resignation, the George Osborne train ticket hoo-ha and Mr Cameron's fumbled announcement on energy prices, all against the background of continuing economic stagnation.

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