Thousands of new jail beds have been delayed by badgers, water weeds, and great crested newts, meaning more convicts will have to be freed early. Environmental and planning disputes have put back the opening of three new mega-prisons, originally meant to be in service now, until as late as 2031.
These prisons would have provided 5,000 extra spaces to relieve overcrowding. Starting in October, the Government plans to release 5,000 criminals early over 10 months to free up space in packed prisons. The delay of the new jails suggests the number of early releases looks certain to grow.
Public criticism over early release policy
The 'let-them-out' early policy has already sparked huge public criticism. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that villains who have committed 'sickening crimes' such as rape, grooming, and serious child sex offences will be excluded. However, fury has erupted over the planned early release of two of hero cop Andrew Harper's killers.
Almost 850,000 have signed an online petition demanding that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole - set to be freed after serving half of their 13-year sentences for the brave bobby's manslaughter - remain behind bars. PC Harper, 28, was dragged to his death by a car down a country road as he tried to stop a teen gang stealing a quad bike in Berkshire in 2019.
Government response and political reactions
Burnham is said to be trying to find a way to keep the pair in jail after Government sources said the backlash over their freedom could prove a vote-loser. The Tories have pledged to solve the prisons crisis by leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and deporting all foreign inmates in UK jails.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said releasing 'vile cop killers early' was an 'insult' to PC Andrew Harper's family and 'brave officers up and down the country'. Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said the case had 'never properly left the public consciousness' and people felt like they were 'reliving the grief with the family'. She added that the prospect of Bowers and Cole being freed early was 'compounding injustice on injustice' and the case had become a 'test' of new PM Burnham.
Reasons for prison delays
Government figures show the overall capacity of the prison system has increased by just 26 places since Labour came to power two years ago. Ministers have previously blamed the presence of badgers, which are a protected species, for halting building work on new super jails. Under nature laws, the creatures can only be evicted from their setts between July and November, restricting when construction work can take place.
A former Tory prisons minister blamed EU-era environmental rules about water weeds for holding up jail expansion. Local councillors refused to grant planning permission for the three delayed new jails, meaning ministers had to launch lengthy legal processes to overturn the decisions.
Residents' gripes held up the building of a 1,700-bed jail in Lancashire for four years. Council officials blocked construction of a 1,500-capacity site in Grendon, Bucks, over concerns about its effect on great crested newts. Neither is now expected to open for five years. Building work on 1,700-inmate HMP Welland Oaks, Leics, is underway but it was delayed by residents' protests and a council planning committee rejection.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the Government was 'pulling every lever to protect the public and cut crime' and building prison places at the 'fastest rate since the Victorian era'.
