School leavers who prove they are good citizens could be allowed to drink in pubs and place bets earlier than their less responsible contemporaries, under plans advanced yesterday by David Cameron.

Promoting his theme of "social responsibility", the Tory leader said every teenager should be able to earn "early adult status" by completing approved courses in grown-up behaviour.

He also floated plans to bring more uniformity to the "confusing range of ages" at which young people can buy cigarettes and alcohol, get married, vote and carry out a range of other activities, in order to simplify the transition to adulthood.

However, as he discussed his ideas during a visit to a youth centre in south London, he came face to face with the problem he is trying to address when a male teenager told him: "You do not know your arse from your elbow, you *******."..............

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