Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will review the early prisoner release policy. Speaking to reporters in Bath, he said he could not promise to change the policy completely, but would look at it in detail before going further.
He acknowledged that there was "pressure on prisons places" and said that a failure to invest in the prison system in the past had created "an unacceptable situation". Tens of thousands of inmates have been let out of prison to create more space in jails since September 2024.
His comments come after the mother of police officer Andrew Harper said the early release of two of her son's killers felt like an "insult". Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced to 13 years in custody for manslaughter but could be released early under the new Sentencing Act.
The overcrowding of the prison estate has been a problem for several years and successive government have released prisoners early in a bid to free up space. The Sentencing Act, which was passed by Sir Keir Starmer's government earlier this year, was designed to ease pressure on prisons, and will see some offenders spend less time in prison before release.
Burnham said he wanted to ensure everything had been looked at before the policy proceeds, and that he would review every part of it with the justice secretary.
"I can't say that I can change the policy completely, but I will look at it in detail before we go further forward."
"pressure on prisons places"
"an unacceptable situation"
"an insult"
"I want to assure myself that everything has been looked at before this policy proceeds, and I can give that assurance that every single part of this I will look into with the justice secretary."
