Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has described witnessing the release of 650 more prisoners outside Wandsworth prison, part of a wave of early releases that has seen over 70,000 inmates let out since September 2024.
Writing for the Daily Express, Pochin said she stood outside the prison and watched as the government released the prisoners. She stated that the only people winning in "Burnham's Britain" are criminals.
Witnessing Releases at Brixton and Other Prisons
Pochin recounted a similar scene outside Brixton prison last month, where she watched "in horror" as hundreds more criminals were released. She described the prisoners walking out with a swagger and swearing at passers-by, while outside other prisons they sprayed champagne and were picked up in flashy cars.
The government claims the releases are safe because prisoners are tagged and monitored, but Pochin said many are not, leaving them free to roam the streets. She noted that hundreds of dangerous prisoners, including stalkers, who have been released early have not been tagged, and that the probation service cannot keep up.
Reoffending Rates and Calls for Reform
Pochin highlighted that more than a fifth of criminals released in Greater Manchester in October have already reoffended. She described early prison release as a "merry-go-round of carnage," with victims robbed of justice and the public worried about who is next.
As a former magistrate, Pochin said she used to put criminals behind bars to keep the British people safe. She argued that under a Reform Government, these criminals would stay in prison, blaming the Tories and Labour for failing to build enough prison spaces, shutting down old jails, and failing to deport the 10,000 foreign criminals in UK prisons.
She pledged that a Reform Government would build new prisons quickly, deport every foreign criminal, and end the injustice of early release.
