Nigel Farage will hold a press conference at 11 today with his home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf, days before the Clacton by-election in which he hopes to be re-elected. The event is expected to centre on crime and the early release prison scheme.
Context of the By-Election
Mr Farage triggered the race after resigning as MP for the area amid questions over his public finances, including a £5million donation from a cryptocurrency billionaire. This will be his second press conference in two weeks, following one last Monday focused on small boats.
Focus on Prison Release Scheme
The press conference comes as Andy Burnham faces pressure over plans to release prisoners early. The sentencing changes were implemented under Keir Starmer in response to a prisons overcrowding crisis left by the Tories. Mr Burnham has tightened rules to exclude rape, serious child sexual offences, and grooming from early release.
However, he has faced calls to stop the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers, two of whom are eligible as manslaughter charges are not on the exemptions list.
