Steve O’Connell has justified the use of water cannons and other measures to stop public disorder in the future.

The London Assembly member said the riots in August which blighted Croydon were a result of a “softly, softly” approach to crime that made people think they could get away with lawlessness.

Speaking as his report was submitted to the Riots Communities and Victims Panel, he said: “The fear was palpable because people believed that police could not protect them. “In the interests of retaining order in a free society we must focus on the needs of the law abiding citizen and not those of rioters and looters. In fact it beggars belief that I should even need to state something so obvious.

“But we allowed a culture to develop in this country whereby if the police act robustly to maintain law and order they are criticised and reprimanded. Clearly criminal elements had become wise to this and in August took their chances and we all saw the consequences.

“A corrosive, softly-softly approach led London to the shocking scenes of last summer. Police must be supported to the hilt in whatever action they deem it necessary to take – and if that means using water cannon then so be it, the public expects nothing less.

“So we commend our report to the Riots Communities and Victims Panel. The August riots were a wakeup call. I hope that as a country we do wake up.”