Badenoch calls for emergency legislation to stop early release scheme
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham to pass emergency legislation to halt the early release of prisoners. The government is currently managing prison overcrowding, while the opposition argues the current scheme risks releasing dangerous offenders.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between managing systemic prison overcrowding and public safety concerns regarding the early release of serious offenders.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch making a speech
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring in emergency legislation in order to stop the early release of hundreds of prisoners.
Burnham announced last week that he was pausing the scheme, which would have seen about 700 prisoners freed in the first phase in September, following a backlash from survivors and victims.
But the Conservatives claim the government's review will not stop offenders being released.
The scheme was part of a bid to stop unprecedented overcrowding, which Labour claims was caused by Conservative governments failing to build new prisons.
A Labour spokesperson said: "It's this government that is fixing the Tories' mess."
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in