Justice Secretary David Lammy has confronted the Metropolitan Police over a home visit conducted while he was on an official trip to Algeria, sources have confirmed. The visit, which took place at Lammy's London residence, was reportedly related to the ongoing search for a missing Algerian prisoner.
The Met Police have confirmed that the prisoner, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, was mistakenly released from Wandsworth prison last week. He is an Algerian national with links to Tower Hamlets and the Westminster area, and is a registered sex offender convicted of indecent exposure in November 2024.
Commander Paul Trevers, overseeing the manhunt, stated: 'It is just over 24 hours since we were informed of Cherif’s release. We launched an immediate manhunt and urgent inquiries have been ongoing since. Cherif has had a six-day head-start but we are working urgently to close the gap and establish his whereabouts.'
The incident has sparked political controversy, with the Conservatives criticising Lammy for failing to acknowledge the error earlier. However, the Tories' claim that the prisoner was an asylum seeker has been proven false.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has drawn lessons from Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York mayoral election, highlighting authenticity, hope, and a focus on cost of living as key political strategies.
