Andy Burnham announces review of prisoner early release scheme

Speaking in Bath on Wednesday, Burnham said: ‘I’ve spoken to the new justice secretary. We will review the policy together.” Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters View image in fullscreen Speaking in Bath on Wednesday, Burnham said: ‘I’ve spoken to the new justice secretary. We will review the policy together.” Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Andy Burnham announces review of prisoner early release scheme PM says he wants to be sure everything concerning controversial policy has been looked at before it goes ahead UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has said he will review the government’s controversial prisoner early release scheme with the justice secretary. The scheme, under which thousands of prisoners are to serve shorter sentences after new laws were passed to address a prison overcrowding crisis, is due to begin in September. Speaking in Bath on Wednesday, the prime minister said: “I’ve spoken to the new justice secretary. We will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.” Mahmood and Streeting accused of making ‘cheap jokes’ about prisoner early release scheme Read more Asked about the early release of prisoners , which have again captured the headlines amid concerns from the family of police officer Andrew Harper , who died after being dragged behind a getaway car while trying to stop thieves stealing a quad bike. His mother said it feels like an “insult” that two of her son’s killers may be eligible for early release from prison. Speaking in Bath, Burnham said he felt for the family. “Nobody can deny the pressure on prison places,” he said. “We did not invest in the prison estate when we should as a country, going back a decade or so ago, when it was clear that there was going to be pressure. That has created an unacceptable situation now.” He added that he wanted to “assure” himself that everything “had been looked” at before the scheme went ahead. “I can give that assurance that every single part of this I will look into with the Justice Secretary,” he said. “I can’t say that I can change the policy completely, but I will look at it in detail before we go further forward.” Killers, rapists and sex offenders will be among more than 5,000 prisoners freed early following a change in the law in January. Under the scheme some serious offenders will be eligible for release halfway through their sentences rather than two-thirds. Offenders convicted of less serious crimes will qualify for automatic release after serving half their sentences rather than two thirds, provided they have not seriously breached prison rules. Unlike emergency measures which saw the release of tens of thousands of prisoners in the early months of the Labour government as prisons ran out of space, the new sentencing law includes no exemptions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism. The scheme has faced fierce opposition from victims’ groups as well as opposition parties and some Labour MPs. Earlier th