The Prime Minister acknowledged that many crime victims would feel betrayed by any policy allowing offenders to leave prison earlier than expected, saying he understood and shared their concerns.
United Kingdom Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has defended his government's controversial plan to ease prison overcrowding through early prisoner releases, announcing that offenders convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming crimes will be excluded from the scheme.
In a statement shared on his official X account, Burnham on Tuesday, said the decision followed an urgent review of the policy after concerns from victims' groups and the wider public over the prospect of dangerous offenders being released early.
The Prime Minister said Britain's prison system was facing a severe capacity crisis caused by years of underinvestment in prison infrastructure between 2010 and 2024.
According to him, only about 500 additional prison places were created during that period while 23 prisons were shut down, leaving correctional facilities operating dangerously close to full capacity.
