Prime Minister Tony Blair's call for respect in society to counter Britain's rising yob culture has been backed by the chairman of a charity which promotes good manners.

Edward Thomas, 61, of the 1,000-strong Campaign For Courtesy, believes the breakdown of family life and modern technology is at the root of society's woes.

The campaign, formerly called the Polite Society, held its annual meeting in central London last week and lamented the rise in yob rule and the terminal decline of good manners.

Ex-teacher Mr Thomas, of Collington Close, Eastbourne, endorsed the focus of measures in the Queen's Speech.

Mr Blair said one of the main aims of this Parliament would be to restore respect, tackle crime and reform the education and welfare systems.

While welcoming his approach, Mr Thomas said no amount of legislation would force people to be more polite. He said: "You cannot force people to be polite. There has to be something more than that.

"It is when their actions spill over into the public arena that gets me annoyed.

"For example, people using rough language when using their mobile phones in public places and spitting and urinating openly.

"These are examples of a society where manners are in decline. I believe the lack of family cohesion nowadays is contributing to all this.

"There are other reasons why people are less polite than they used to be, such as the advance in technology.

"For example, I travel everywhere by public transport and during one journey I noticed what looked like a respectable young girl using rough language on her mobile phone.

"These are all things that didn't used to happen.

"I was brought up in Hackney, east London, and schooled among 600 working class lads. Swearing was as common then as it is now.

"The difference between then and now is we knew when not to use it, certainly not in public and not at home."

He refused to tar all youngsters with the same brush and had nothing but praise for a group of teenagers he is involved with working at Eastbourne District General Hospital radio.

Mr Thomas believes only by educating children of the importance of being polite will they have the values instilled in them to last a lifetime.