See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 12:39 BST, 8 July 2026 | Updated: 12:39 BST, 8 July 2026
David Lammy came under fire today as he ignored a call to apologise to rape victims affected by Labour's plan to free their attackers early from prison.Shadow minister Sir James Cleverly tore into the Deputy Prime Minister as they stood in for their party leaders at Prime Minister's Questions.He lashed out at Labour proposals to free thousands of sex attackers to ease overcrowding. They include some who will be freed after serving just a third of their sentence for 'good behaviour'.Others will be let out halfway through their sentences, down from two-thirds under current rules.Mr Cleverly asked Mr Lammy if he would guarantee 'not one rapist of paedophile will be released early this year', something he declined to do. At Deputy Prime Minister's Questions, Sir James said Mr Lammy is a 'good man', adding: 'He must know that it is wrong to release 5,000 serious criminals, including rapists, including paedophiles.'The shadow housing secretary added: 'If he will not change course, will he at least make this guarantee that not one rapist or paedophile will be released early later on this year?'Instead Mr Lammy, who was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer while Sir Keir is at the Nato summit in Ankara, laid the blame at the door of the Tories. Shadow minister James Cleverly tore into the Deputy Prime Minister as they stood in for their party leaders at Prime Minister's Questions Instead Mr Lammy, who was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer while Sir Keir is at the Nato summit in Ankara, laid the blame at the door of the ToriesMr Lammy, who is also the Justice Secretary, replied: 'He has not proposed what they would do if they were in office.'He added: 'We've invested £700 million in probation. We are rolling out the largest programme of tagging in our history. We are forcing offenders to stay boxed in certain areas rather than where victims are…'We are implementing income reduction orders and we are expanding chemical castration for sex offenders. None of it happened when they were in power.'Under the Sentencing Act, passed earlier this year, most criminals including some sex offenders will be released after serving just a third of their sentence if they demonstrate 'good behaviour' behind bars.The Ministry of Justice has already sent out letters to more than 7,300 victims warning the offender who targeted them could qualify for early release.Criminals are due to be freed in stages according to the length of their sentence, between September and June next year.It emerged last week that members of incoming PM Andy Burnham's team are examining how to ensure child sex offenders are excluded from the scheme.They are looking at whether the changes would need primary legislation to reverse the effects of the Act brought in under Sir Keir Starmer's leadership.
