Scrapping early release for sex offenders could leave no capacity in jails, says David Lammy | Prisons and probation

Those opposed to plans to release rapists and sex offenders from prison early have “no solution” to stop the possible collapse of the criminal justice system, David Lammy has said.

Under pressure from Labor MPs, including former safeguarding secretary Jess Phillips, to stop the early release plan, the deputy prime minister said prisons in England and Wales would run out of capacity in November if it was not implemented.

Murderers, rapists and sex offenders will be among the more than 5,000 prisoners released in early September. These include those convicted of manslaughter, rape, grievous bodily harm and sexual offenses, who are eligible for release at half-way through their sentences, rather than serving the minimum two-thirds of their existing sentences.

Andy Burnham’s supporters are increasingly uneasy about the policy. Many Labor MPs have said they will press for the plans to be scrapped if the former Manchester mayor becomes prime minister on July 20, as expected.

Lammy, who is also Chancellor and Justice Minister, said the government needed to press the plan because of a capacity crisis across the state that could see prisons almost full within six months.

“We’d be back to a situation where we were running almost 100% in ’99 [capacity]”He said. “A few weeks ago in my constituency I was with a father whose daughter was being very poorly cared for. “It is extremely important that the perpetrators of this crime are sent to prison when they are caught,” he said.

“We are building prisons, but that takes time – seven years – and in the meantime, we must ensure that social punishments are good,” he added.

Asked how he would respond to Phillips and victims’ commissioner Claire Waxman calling on the government to exempt child rapists and gang members from early release, Lammy said the plan was necessary.

“I have heard it again in parliament – the opposition has raised this – but I have stated that there is absolutely no solution on how to deal with the emergency,” he said.

Amid reports that Burnham could reverse the policy, Lammy said he was “in dialogue” with the MP from the Makerfield team about the early release plan.

“I have known Andy Burnham and his chief of staff, James Purnell, for many years and of course I argue with them all the time,” he said.

Lammy’s comments were made while visiting HMP Wandsworth in south-west London with former Conservative home secretary Amber Rudd, who was recently appointed to lead a review into tackling drugs, violence and organized crime in prisons.

Rudd, in his first interview since taking office, said the focus of the inquiry would be to find policies that could garner targeted cross-party support for the “medium and long term” amid concerns about a lack of strategic planning.

“If there is a change of government, hopefully there will be an opportunity for someone to say, ‘Let’s put this plan into action.’ I want to have some kind of road map for a prison system that will be a better outcome for what we’re asking prisons to do: keep the public safe, keep prisoners locked up, and watch the public’s purses.”

Rudd added that he plans to take inspiration from prison systems around the world, including Spain, which places an emphasis on rehabilitation.

“I want to look at Scandinavia, and I want to look at Spain, where they’ve done a lot with new prisons. I know they’ve been very affected by the changes in the criminal review that have happened in Texas, where changes have allowed them to close some prisons,” he said.