Andy Burnham slammed for ‘only partially reversing’ early release scheme | Politics | News
Andy Burnham is accused of only partially reversing a controversial prisoner early release scheme introduced by Labor.
Under the programme, violent murderers, rapists and babysitters could be released mid-sentence if they behave well behind bars.
But the Conservatives harshly criticized the plan, claiming it was only a “partial” landing and had already cost lives.
Kemi Badenoch said Mr Burnham’s decision to pause some of the policy did not go far enough, insisting criminals were still roaming free “today, every day”.
He said: “I welcome this ‘pause’, but you have only suspended part of early release and waited for a new review. We have been campaigning against this dangerous plan from day one.”
Ms Badenoch added: “Your 40% plan is still letting criminals out early today, every day. It cost Lewis Bell his life. His murderer walked out of prison eight days later for this plan.”
He demanded ministers “permanently exempt murderers, rapists and child molesters from this scheme”.
Mr Burnham announced the break after Lissie Harper, widow of murdered PC Andrew Harper, described the plan as “pathetic”.
Two of her husband’s killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were in line to be released after serving only half of their 13-year manslaughter sentences.
The Prime Minister said: “Ensuring the safety of the public will always be my top priority. No prisoners will be allowed to be released under this policy until an urgent review has been carried out.”
But shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said the U-turn raised more questions than it answered.
He said: “Andy Burnham has bowed to Conservative pressure and ‘paused’ Labour’s early release plan. So what does this mean? What is the plan? No details.”
In a letter to Justice Secretary Alex Norris, Mr Timothy demanded to know how ministers could “pause” a plan in a situation where the Criminal Code imposes a “duty to release” criminals without excluding rapists, pedophiles or murderers, after Labor and the Liberal Democrats rejected the Conservative Party’s changes.
He warned that the scheme would begin on September 2 (the day after MPs returned from recess) and asked whether special orders would be used to delay it, stating that they “could not delay primary legislation indefinitely”.
Mr Timothy also wanted to know what prison managers had been told about housing and monitoring nearly 6,000 affected offenders in less than six weeks.
