Andy Burnham has been accused of only partially reversing a controversial early prisoner release scheme introduced by Labour. Under the program, violent killers, rapists and child groomers can be set free midway through their sentences should they behave well behind bars.
The Conservatives have slammed the scheme, claiming it is only a "partial" climbdown and has already cost lives. Kemi Badenoch said Mr Burnham's decision to pause part of the policy did not go far enough, insisting offenders were still walking free "today, every day".
Badenoch criticises pause
She said: "I welcome this 'pause', but you have only suspended one part of early release, pending yet another review. We have been campaigning against this dangerous scheme from day one."
Ms Badenoch added: "Your 40% scheme is still letting offenders out early, today, every day. It cost Lewis Bell his life. His killer walked out of prison eight days into that scheme." She demanded ministers "exempt killers, rapists and child abusers from this scheme. Permanently."
Burnham announces pause
Mr Burnham announced the pause after Lissie Harper, widow of murdered PC Andrew Harper, branded the scheme "deplorable". Two of her husband's killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, had been in line for release after serving just half their 13-year manslaughter sentences.
The Prime Minister said: "Keeping the public safe will always be my top priority. No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review."
Timothy questions U-turn
Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said the U-turn raised more questions than it answered. He said: "Andy Burnham has bowed to Conservative pressure and 'paused' Labour's early release scheme. But what does this mean? What is the plan? There are no details at all."
In a letter to Justice Secretary Alex Norris, Mr Timothy demanded to know how ministers can "pause" a scheme when the Sentencing Act itself imposes a "duty to release" offenders, with no exclusions for rapists, paedophiles or killers after Labour and the Lib Dems voted down Tory amendments.
He warned the scheme is due to start on September 2 - the day after MPs return from recess - and asked whether special orders would be used to delay it, noting these "cannot delay primary legislation indefinitely". Mr Timothy also demanded to know what prison governors, with fewer than six weeks' notice, have been told about housing and monitoring the roughly 6,000 offenders affected.
