Updated on Thursday, July 02, 2009, 19:11 IST

London, July 02: Britain is the most violent country in Europe, with records showing that the UK fares worse than South Africa and the US.

Based on reports released by the European Commission and United Nations, the number of recorded violent attacks soared by 77 per cent in Britain in the decade following the Labour Party's election in 1997, the Mail online reported today.

In the UK, there are 2,034 offences per 100,000 people, way ahead of second-placed Austria with a rate of 1,677, it said.

The US has a violence rate of 466 crimes per 100,000 residents, Canada 935, Australia 92 and South Africa 1,609, the report said.

The Opposition Conservative Party, which is way ahead of the ruling Labour in opinion polls, attacked the government for its failure to make the country safe for the common man.

"This is a damning indictment of this government's comprehensive failure over more than a decade to tackle the deep rooted social problems in our society, and the knock on effect on crime and anti-social behaviour," said Chris Grayling, the Shadow Home Secretary.

However, UK Police Minister David Hanson called the finding "misleading".

Bureau Report