From 3h agoEarly prisoner release scheme will be reviewed, says BurnhamWe have more from Bath where the prime minister has been speaking to reporters.Andy Burnham has indicated that he would review the early prisoner release policy before it goes ahead.Hundreds of offenders will start being released early under the new Sentencing Act from September. Unlike the emergency measures in the early months of the Labour government, in which tens of thousands of prisoners were released as prisons ran out of space, the new sentencing law includes no exemptions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism.PA has reported more of Burnham’s remarks:
double quotation markAll I can say is I will review the whole of this policy.
Nobody can deny the pressure on prison places.
We did not invest in the prison estate when we should as a country, going back a decade or so ago, when it was clear that there was going to be pressure.
That has created an unacceptable situation now.
